Those who are using a data collection device to handle e-citations are seeing major improvements in productivity, accuracy and overall effectiveness. The ability to capture varying amounts of data through a bar code has changed the landscape for Law Enforcement, and technology is providing them with an opportunity to become more informed, more efficient and provide safer communities.
Have you ever thought about the amount of time and paper we’ve saved with the electronic age? I remember the days of the fax machine when I had to go through so many steps to get information to someone. Type it up, print it out, fax it over. Then came email … attaching files to an email message couldn’t have been easier! The advent of the bar code is very much the same. Think about all the ways retailers, healthcare facilities, manufacturers, repair centers and so many more organizations around the world increase efficiencies and improve productivity with an automated process.
Much is the same in Law Enforcement. When e-ticketing came along, it saved Officers not only time, but lives! With the ability to shorten the amount of time it takes to issue a citation, Officers have much more time to patrol their communities and keep their citizens safe.
With the e-citation process, patrol cars are equipped with a hand-held scanner like L-Tron’s 4910LR, which is powered by Honeywell’s Adaptus Imaging Technology. For e-citation and accident reporting applications, a hand-held bar code scanner reduces the burden of hand-writing a citation by reading the PDF417 bar code on a driver’s license or other state-issued identification card. Using a device that’s specifically designed to scan the PDF417 bar code makes it easier to use and requires very little training. With the ability to populate an electronic form, the e-citation process lowers operating costs, virtually eliminates errors and gives Officers more time to work on improving the safety of the neighborhood.
For Law Enforcement, it’s also about ergonomics and safety. The ability to store the device safely and securely in a patrol car keeps the unit out of the way and easy to locate, and a device that looks and feels like a patrol car microphone is familiar in the hands of the Officer; making it easier to use.
It’s reasonable to understand why e-citations have become so popular. Did you know that processing e-citations takes about 5 minutes? Yep – 5 minutes – and it eliminates steps in the process, like additional data entry or time taken to hand deliver the ticket to the courthouse.
It doesn’t have to cost a fortune to outfit patrolling Officers with technology that allows them to spend less time managing tickets and more time keeping the community safe. The benefits that this technology brings are essential:
- Easier to read (no more hand-written tickets)
- Tickets are issued in one-quarter of the time (automated forms fill)
- Errors are reduced (human error eliminated)
- Revenue may be increased (fewer ticket dismissals due to incomplete or illegible forms)
If you’re not issuing e-citations in your community, now is the time to start. Don’t get left behind due to misconceptions about technology and the expense that goes along with it. The time saved and revenues gained as a result of automating your fleet will lend itself to an ROI that’s as short as 12 to 18 months; all with products that have been designed to serve a rugged environment.
For more information please visit our website or call our toll free number at 1-800-830-9523. Our knowledgeable staff will help answer any questions that you might have!