Posted on: Tuesday, May 22, 2001

HPD to repair its scooters

By Walter Wright
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Honolulu Police Department's 81 "Go-4" three-wheeled scooters will begin returning to service in a few weeks after being pulled off the road by Chief Lee Donohue last Thursday because of mechanical problems, the department said yesterday.

The scooters are used by officers primarily in the Chinatown, Downtown and Waikiki areas where their small size makes them easier to maneuver through heavy traffic.

Donohue said Saturday that two officers had been involved in collisions because of steering problems.

The officers lost control of their vehicles when the steering mechanism between the two back tires snapped, the chief said. It wasn't clear whether the problem was wear and tear or a defect, but the manufacturer will pay much of the $200 cost to fix each scooter, the chief said.

Each Go-4 costs about $24,000, police spokeswoman Michelle Yu said.