Police are Segwaying to the Rescue at Lambert in St. Louis

What's a segway? It's a battery-powered scooter that uses high-tech gyroscopes to stand and turn.

Why at airports? They're fast, quiet and let police see above heads in a crowded concourse.

Heads turned and comments flew as Lambert Field police officer Jaime McClain darted around the Main Terminal.

McClain was on a Segway, a battery-powered scooter that stands upright and looks like something George Jetson would use to zip around. Lambert police began using them -this month, catching attention in the terminals, concourses, curb sides and parking garages.

"You think dogs get a lot of reaction," McClain said. "These get more."

Early this fall, Lambert bought two Segways at about $5,000 apiece, airport police Chief Paul Mason said. About 20 officers have gone through the eight hours or so of training.

Segways are being used increasingly at airports because they're faster than running. They travel up to 12 mph. They're quiet and stop quickly. They also allow police to see above heads in a crowded concourse.

Officer Jackie Colbert said it cut his response time by almost half recently when he was called to a security check point. And, he added, he wasn't out of breath when he arrived.

A Segway uses computers, motors and gyroscopes to keep from falling over. It moves in the direction its user leans. A user turns right by leaning right, and stops by leaning backward.

Dozens of other airports in cities such as Phoenix, Orlando and Detroit are using them. Chicago has 29 in use at Midway and O'Hare International airports.

There are no plans to increase Lambert's fleet.

"We're going to see how they go," Mason said.

So far, police on Segways have not collided with any passengers. Concern about the dangers they pose to pedestrians has resulted in laws banning Segways from sidewalks in some cities, such as San Francisco.

As McClain moved through the lower part of the terminal, one group stopped and asked her to pose with them for a picture.

"I'd love one of those to run up and down the hospital halls," said Anna Zupansic, a registered nurse from Pittsburgh, after her friend took the shot.

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