Writing Tickets Just Got Easier
June 15, 2020 by Kate Nadolski
Change is in the air for the state of Illinois, especially in Vermilion County.
Living in an automated world is nothing new for most individuals, but for public safety agencies, this change can be slow to come. In Vermilion County, officers were challenged with spending more time on the roadside and at the scene writing out citations.
According to Vermilion County 911 Director Cynthia Linton, the public safety agencies in the county wanted a more efficient system for writing citations and transferring data to relevant public safety and court systems. To do this, Vermilion County began using an electronic citation solution designed to improved efficiency. With this system, law enforcement officers were able to enter data quickly and efficiently by scanning a driver’s license and registration. From there, officers could print the ticket on the scene for the driver while also submitting the electronic version of relevant public safety and courts applications.
“Before automating our processes, officers were on the roadside for long periods of time,” Linton said. “This process took even longer if they were writing multiple tickets to the same driver. We knew we wanted to improve efficiency and safety, and we’ve been able to do that by automating the ticket writing process.”
Since automating processes, sworn officers and civilian staff have experienced a more seamless experience with the entirety of the ticketing process. This helps officers prepare citations that are more accurate, which means less work in the department’s records office. In addition, citations with improved accuracy and legibility help to ensure less citations are dismissed once they get into the court system.
“What’s great about our electronic citation solution is that it’s integrated with the other public safety solutions we use,” Linton said. “It just makes everything easier for everyone.”