While the sight of boys in blue on scoots is nothing new, this love child between a Dalek and the Piaggio MP3 is a little more intimidating that the old police-issue Malaguti or even the NYPD's  scoot cops.

But what makes the T3 (pictured) so scary is not the cop riding it, but the potentially-fatal self-aiming airgun it is equipped with. Yikes.

The T3 has some specific benefits over traditional forms of cop transport (cars, bicycles, motorcycles, etc). It costs mere pennies to operate, is a zero-emissions vehicle, and can operate nimbly both indoors or out.

And while they are presently in-demand primarily overseas, the T3 is manufactured in in the States. Crazy.

Like any sector requiring fleets of reliable vehicles, law-enforcement is feeling a serious pinch by the current gas crisis. I have to think it won't be too long before more American cities adopt scooters for their police forces. Maybe with more cops on two wheels, scooterists in general will be treated with a little more respect.