RPD Responds to Viral Segway Training Video: "It's Been Huge!" - East Idaho News
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RPD Responds to Viral Segway Training Video: “It’s Been Huge!”

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REXBURG – It’s been nearly a week since EastIdahoNews.com shared a video of Rexburg Police officers trying to learn to ride a Segway.

The video went viral within hours and it’s now been seen by millions around the world.

In the 25 second clip, shot by an officer with his cell phone, you see Captain Randy Lewis tumble to the ground as fellow officers laugh hysterically.

“We really didn’t know we were being videotaped,” Lewis said in an exclusive interview with EastIdahoNews.com.  “We never thought it would get this big.”

While a few people have criticized the video, the majority of folks have been supportive.

Earlier this week a man from Washington, who saw the video on his local news, stopped by the Rexburg Police Department with a bottle of liquor.  He thanked the officers for their service and wanted them to enjoy some “down time.”

Representatives from national TV news networks have even contacted the department asking for interviews.

“Most of the feedback has been positive,” Lewis said.  “We’re just like everybody else.  We like to enjoy ourselves and have fun.  Some of it’s stress relief and of course this was a stress relief for most of the guys.”

Lewis says most of the officers have learned to ride the Segway and it’s actually turned into a good crime fighting tool.

And, the one question Lewis has been asked more than any other this week:  has he learned to properly ride the Segway?

“Yes,” an emphatic Lewis said.  “It took me about five minutes after the fall to learn to ride.”

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