FORT WAYNE, IN – The Fort Wayne Police Department has bought three three-wheeled electric scooters as a way to help patrol downtown while cutting down on the cost of gas.

Chief Rusty York said he first noticed the T3s a few years ago when they were shown at police expositions and he had a chance to try them, according to www.journalgazette.net.

The cost of three T3s at $7,800 each was $7,000 less than one patrol car, York said. The money came from the department’s vehicle budget, but the scooters were not bought in place of a cruiser. The scooters can reach speeds of 23 mph and can be used for about eight hours before needing to be recharged, York said. Also the scooters can’t go on ice and snow, therefore they won’t be used year-round.