Shreveport police officers who patrol downtown now have motorized scooters.

The "T-3 motions" travel about 12 mph and are easy to maneuver in a crowd.

"It has lights and a siren on it, so people can see it better than a bike," said Cpl Justin Metzger. "You stand up on it instead of sitting, so you have better visibility than a bike."

Police have been patrolling downtown in cars and on bicycles.

The scooters are electric powered. One charge will last for about six hours.