LOWELL -- City Council approved buying electronic ticketing machines during its meeting Tuesday.
Police Chief Randy Harvey said the machines will make the process of giving a ticket easier. He said officers will be able to scan driver's licenses and registration with the device. A printer in the car will print a ticket, he said.
The device also will transfer the information to the Police Department's database along with the court's system. He said officers now have to write tickets out by hand. The information then has to be typed into the department's database and delivered to the court.
"This will speed up the entire process," Mayor Eldon Long said. "It will save a lot of paper work. That is great."
Harvey said the device will not only save the department time but also will save time for people being stopped for a traffic violation.
The council also approved waiving competitive bidding for the equipment.
Harvey said he reached out to several companies and only one responded with a bid. He said the company, Saltus Technologies, integrates with the department's computer and court system already. He said it also is used by other department's in Northwest Arkansas including Rogers, Bentonville and Elm Springs police.
Saltus Technologies of Tulsa, Okla., has been developing mobile software since 1997.
Fayetteville also has an electronic ticking device but it uses a different program, said Harvey.
Kendall Stucki, City Council member, asked how many devices were being purchased.
Harvey said the department plans to buy four. He said there are typically three officers on the streets at all times.
Stucki also asked if the device was easy to move from vehicle to vehicle. Harvey said it is.
City documents show the cost of the devices is $27,832. The council also approved an emergency clause which allows for the Police Department to purchase the devices immediately.
Harvey said the devices should be up and running by March.
NW News on 01/20/2016