The police department today is deploying a new fleet of futuristic scooters known as Segways to patrol parks and beaches.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said that police officers would gain height and speed as they glide onto boardwalks and paths aboard the department’s 10 electronic two-wheeled vehicles.

Twenty-five mounted Segway police will also have more range than officers on foot, he said, and more energy: The scooter advances by responding to subtle movements, allowing the rider to simply lean in the direction they want to go.

“It’s less tiring,” Mr. Kelly said.

Segways can travel up to 12 miles an hour, faster than most people on foot, Mr. Kelly said, noting that an officer could easily hop off if a situation called for it.

Segways were first introduced in the city three years ago, when the police department launched a pilot project. But flaws in the mechanics — the old Segways tended to flip over when their batteries ran low — led the department to cancel the program.

The new Segways have a longer battery life — eight hours — and slow to a stop, instead of flipping, when the battery runs out, Mr. Kelly said.

The announcement was good news for Segway advocates, who have promoted the vehicle as an environmentally friendly alternative to cars.

“It’s going to definitely validate the Segway,” Itsi Atkins, who leads Segway training tours in the city, said.

The Segways are costing the city $5,300 each.