Scooters save police legs in Brazil

By Isabel Murray BBC World Service, Brazil

Brazilian police patrolling the largest criminal court building in Sao Paulo have received a boost - in the form of electric scooters.

The scooters have a top speed of 25 mph

The scooters - previously regarded as little more than children's toys - help police escort prisoners and prevent disturbances within the vast criminal court forum.

The building covers 120,000 square metres, with ramps connecting the three floors.

Military police Captain Denis Pinheiro Tassi explained: "Between 5,000 and 6,000 people pass through every day ... judges, lawyers, employees, defendants, victims and relatives."

"In criminal proceedings, there is a lot of tension, people get over-excited or feel unwell. We need to have high-visibility policing, and the scooters have become vital."

Versatile

The scooters reach a top speed of 25 mph (40 kph) and are powered by a rechargeable battery that lasts for about 30 miles (48km), or 8 hours' use.

The vehicle is equipped with a horn and an emergency alarm, as well as a truncheon holder and a compartment to store a communication radio.

Police use the scooters to patrol the vast court building

According to Captain Tassi, the scooter makes it possible to carry out high-speed police manoeuvres.

Not all the police inside the building are using the scooters - the scooter platoon is only made up of volunteer officers who have undergone special training.

"Each scooter frees up 10 police officers from foot patrols, and this means I can assign them to other activities", said Captain Tassi.

Captain Tassi believes that the electric scooters can go beyond policing inside buildings, and could be used for patrolling the boardwalks or even the seafront.