Speedy tickets: Technology simplifies procedure for police / LJWorld.com

Archive for Monday, June 5, 2006

June 5, 2006

A quick look away is all it takes for danger to strike.

Every Lawrence police officer is reminded of that each time they walk up to a vehicle they've pulled over. You never know who may have a gun or just a chip on their shoulder that's going to cause problems.

So officers have developed all types of tricks of the trade to make sure they always keep an eye on the people they're dealing with. For example, they learn to write while keeping their ticket book up close to eye level instead of holding it down near their waist, and they don't write more than a line or two at a time without stopping and reassessing the scene.

"You know, 99.9 percent of the time, it is going to be a general citizen who is in the vehicle, and they won't cause you any problems," said Sgt. Dan Ward, a Lawrence Police Department spokesman. "But you can't take the risk of not coming home to your family."

But still, the process is kind of a pain. Soon, though, technology may be able to help. Lawrence police officers are beginning to test a new ticket writing technology that utilizes bar code scanners and portable printers.

Photo by Mike Yoder

Technology continues to improve the work flow and documentation for the Lawrence Police Department. Officer Jim Welsh's patrol car is equipped with some of the latest high-tech gear including a portable scanner and printer, at bottom, that will enable an officer to scan a driver's license and print out the ticket. The new device should expedite the ticket-writing process, taking it from about four minutes for a hand-written ticket to about one minute for an electronically processed one.

The system, which is currently in one patrol car and should be in about a half-dozen more within a month, allows an officer to scan the magnetic strip on the back of a driver license. That one simple scan - just like you do with a debit card - places all the information from the license into an electronic document.

All that leaves the officer to do is punch a couple of buttons on a computer screen to enter the type of offense and some other basic information. When completed, a portable printer produces a paper copy of the ticket, which looks a bit like a grocery receipt - except it doesn't have a coupon on the back.

The whole process takes about one minute compared to about four minutes for the traditional way. And more important, Ward said, the new system allows officers to more easily keep an eye on motorists and their passengers.

"It is a more eyes-forward process," Ward said.

There are other reasons the city is hoping to implement the system. Leaders at the city's Municipal Court made the strongest push for the new technology and are using their budget to pay for the approximately $100,000 cost.

The system automatically enters each traffic ticket into the court's computer system. Currently, the court has one full-time employee who does nothing but enter traffic tickets into the computer.

In addition to being time-consuming, that can be a bit challenging. After all, police officers are required to take all types of exams, but penmanship isn't one of them.

"On a KU game day where we might have several parking tickets to issue in one area, your hand gets pretty tired and your handwriting might get a little sloppy," Officer Jim Welsh said.

Vicki Stanwix, manager of the Municipal Court, can attest to that.

"Sometimes we'll take a ticket all the way around the office and ask, 'What do you think this street is?'," Stanwix said. "And four or five people will all tell us something different."

She said with the new system her staff will have more time to go through the files of unpaid parking tickets and other unpaid fines and begin sending out letters seeking payments.

"We're excited about the system because we spend tons of time working on speeding tickets," Stanwix said.

Plans call for the Police Department's entire fleet of 29 patrol vehicles to eventually be equipped with the new technology. The department also has four hand-held devices that can be used by officers on motorcycles or bicycles.

Discussion

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5 June 2006
at 5:57 a.m.

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Informed (Anonymous) says…

Wow! The police will be able to write 4 times as many tickets. That should really boost the city coffers. And once the cell phone ban happens, we'll be able to pay for all that new technology.
5 June 2006
at 6:38 a.m.

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Marshalus (Michael Stanclift) says…

You've gotta spend money to make money!
5 June 2006
at 7:55 a.m.

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kingdork44 (Anonymous) says…

That's why I always run my driver's license over a strong magnet. It erases the information on the strip. Hey, They never make it easy for me when they pull me over, Why should I make it easy for them. That's right,,,,, You're gunna spend 4 minutes with me, Mr. Policeman!!!!! And It's not that I get pulled over all the time. I haven't had a ticket in 10 years.
5 June 2006
at 8:07 a.m.

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nut_case (Anonymous) says…

Time to erase that magnetic strip!
5 June 2006
at 8:37 a.m.

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kingdork44 (Anonymous) says…

Macon47……… Like I said I haven't had a ticket in 10 years and I do respect the laws as well as the lives and properties of Others. However, You'll like this story. I was pulled over by our finest Lawrence Police Department in the early 90's at around midnight on a Saturday Nite. The cop was in my face to see if he could detect alcohol. I wasn't drinking. So I asked him why he pulled me over. He told me that I had a burned out headlight. Oh, Ok. I didn't question it. So he returned with a ticket. On the way home I stopped at Dillons to pick up some groceries, pulling up next to the building, and low and behold, both my headlights were working. Hmmm, Jeeezzz, Why was I pulled over? Law inforcement fishing for a DUI? The Law I respect. Law Inforcement officers, NO.
5 June 2006
at 9:05 a.m.

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kingdork44 (Anonymous) says…

It could have been that PAW bumper sticker I had on then. Oh, your right…… It was because of that bumper sticker… What was I thinking,,, dee de deeeee.
5 June 2006
at 9:14 a.m.

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jayhawk72 (Kimberly Curtiss) says…

I dont think they should upgrade the process for writing tickets. The officers have enough time on their hands, that 3 extra minutes only makes them earn their wages appropriately. The process they use now is just fine. Most of the officers will walk back to thier cars and sit in it while taking down your information from the system. What would be the difference? More tax dollars wasted on an agency that can park and chat on OUR time and OUR money. I'm against it. :o)

5 June 2006
at 9:38 a.m.

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jrlii (Anonymous) says…

Another turn of the screw towards transforming the “Land of the free and home of the brave” into a “Land of the fee and home of the slave.” police state.
5 June 2006
at 9:39 a.m.

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pundit (Anonymous) says…

Why wasn't cost reported???

This is the same dept that said they needed $300,000 for new automation recently, yet won't reveal a number of common metrics regarding crime to its own citizens, the same metrics which are commonly available from other departments.
5 June 2006
at 9:44 a.m.

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classclown (Anonymous) says…

Pretty soon the cops will be able to pull you over and walk up to your car ticket in hand and give it to you. Or perhaps the cop can just “tag” your car and you will recieve a ticket in the mail like those things they use to ticket the red light runners.
5 June 2006
at 10:12 a.m.

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pinkrose (Anonymous) says…

Kingdork44 -
I am a firm believer in following the rules and am most respectful to people in uniform. I have the opportunity to work with men in blue in the health care field. I too have a similiar story. A year or so I was driving on 458 traveling the speed limit and was pulled over. The officer didn't ask for my drivers license. He shined a light in my eyes. I asked him why I was pulled over and he stated the light that illuminates my license plate was flickering on and off and was against some regulation number he quoted. He let me go very quickly. After driving a short distance, I pulled over and checked the light and it was working without difficulty. To this day, the light has not burned out or flickered to the best of my knowlege. Again while I have respect for the officer, I can't help but wonder if he was fishing for a DUI
5 June 2006
at 10:43 a.m.

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Ace_Ventura (Anonymous) says…

Wow, thats just so nice. Next thing you know they will announce over a speaker to get out of your car and get in theirs to write the ticket. That way they don't have to get out of their car.
5 June 2006
at 10:47 a.m.

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Sandman (Anonymous) says…

That officer looks YOUNG! How old is he, 10?
5 June 2006
at 10:52 a.m.

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jayhawk72 (Kimberly Curtiss) says…

Oh but our taxes WILL pay for this. I want to know what happened to the city being able to vote for what our money goes towards?
5 June 2006
at 10:56 a.m.

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jayhawk72 (Kimberly Curtiss) says…

macon…this isn't about citizens taking responsibility for thier actions. Its about the city taking more of our money to make a city employee's job easier when the current process is working just fine. Make them get up out of their air-conditioned cars and work for their salary.

5 June 2006
at 11:17 a.m.

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jayhawks71 (Anonymous) says…

so is pilgrim going to rub a magnet on the strip on his license, just to irritate the cops when they stop him for fake-talking on a cell phone?

talk about looney.
5 June 2006
at 11:18 a.m.

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jayhawks71 (Anonymous) says…

perhaps the police could eliminate the problem completely by not stopping people and not issuing tickets; afterall, tickets and laws are by-products of fascist regimes.
5 June 2006
at 11:19 a.m.

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jayhawks71 (Anonymous) says…

hey informed, did you hear, there's a module for detecting cell phones that are “on” in these new toys as well.
5 June 2006
at 11:20 a.m.

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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…

I do speed on occassion, but usually only by 5mph. I think they should ticket those people who can't quite seem to hit 40mph in a 40mph zone. You know the ones I'm talking about; the old people, the ones on their cells, or the ones who are too short and can barely see over the steering wheel. Also, I don't care if the cops just park their cars and sit for while. Their jobs can often be extremely dangerous, and you surely love them when they are saving someone's life or coming to your rescue. You only hate them when they are busting you for doing something illegal. If I get a ticket, then I deserve it.
5 June 2006
at 11:20 a.m.

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kingdork44 (Anonymous) says…

macon47….. The night that I was pulled over, I was neither drunk, or speeding. But thank you for the compliment. Fragile, Young, Liberal. Oh, by the way, I'm neither Young or Fragile. xoxoxoxo
5 June 2006
at 11:24 a.m.

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jayhawks71 (Anonymous) says…

kingdork, you mean you didn't notice immediately after you were issued a ticket that your headlight wasn't out? Are you sure you weren't drunk? Perhaps your memory has been distorted and he said you had TWO headlights out, meaning you hadn't bothered to turn them on… something that intoxicated people often forget to do. Hmmm sounds like a part of this story has been tweaked, but hey, I wasn't there.

fascists trying to get drunk drivers off the road. unbelievable. And why isn't it spelled fashists… geez, the world is just full of hassles!
5 June 2006
at 11:28 a.m.

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jayhawks71 (Anonymous) says…

confrontation, you are such a jerk (see a previous post by whomever said that speeders are jerks).

Oh by the way its a speed LIMIT.

limit: The point, edge, or line beyond which something cannot or may not proceed.

and kingdork, perhaps you were suffering from Korsakoff's and forgot much about that night. I still like the BOTH headlights burned out theory. It fits with both why you would be pulled over and why you would get sniffed for alcohol. But hey that's beside the point. You are free to do whatever you want in your car, so drink up! I am sure that people that drive intoxicated know that they can handle their vehicle under the influence. They should only be penalized when they have flattened someone. Let's not get pre-emptive now!
5 June 2006
at 11:35 a.m.

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jayhawk72 (Kimberly Curtiss) says…

I not saying I'm NOT supportive of the LPD. I just dont see why we, citizens, should pay out of our tax dollars to “upgrade” a process that has been working since officers have been giving speeding tickets. Let them get up off their FAT butts and walk 10 feet and stand there and write the ticket out at our door. thats what they get paid for.

5 June 2006
at 11:38 a.m.

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jayhawk72 (Kimberly Curtiss) says…

oh…i'm not supporting the new library. Think its more tax dollars wasted….build UP not build entirely new. And why do we need another park. Have a nice day!!! :o)
5 June 2006
at 11:46 a.m.

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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…

I'm proud to be a jerk! What I'm sad about is the ability of jayhawks71 to use such a great mascot in vain.
5 June 2006
at 11:50 a.m.

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kingdork44 (Anonymous) says…

Jayhawk71, Well of course I'm sure that I wasn't Drunk.
1) I did not drink alcohol that night.
2) I stated that the cop that pulled me, over told me that I had “a” headlight out.
3) I took his word that this was true.
4) I'm so glad that I don't live in Lawrence anymore!
5 June 2006
at 12:20 p.m.

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blue73harley (Anonymous) says…

Cops, even those in Larryville, have a dangerous job. It seems to me that this is not so much about writing more tickets as it is about safety. From the article…”And more important, Ward said, the new system allows officers to more easily keep an eye on motorists and their passengers.” Seems like a worthwhile investment to me.

The stories about cops using excuses to pull people over are kind of silly given the fact that the US Supreme Court gave their blessing to the check lane tactic where they can stop everyone on the damn road. Now THAT I have a problem with.
5 June 2006
at 12:24 p.m.

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fleeba (Anonymous) says…

I too have a “fishing” story. I was pulled over about 7 years ago, it was about 11pm at night, going to work (third shift) and the cop shined that big bright light at me.. when i asked what I had done, he told me my tags are going to expire by the end of month. (it was like the 12th of the month or something) WHAT?!?! I had never gotten a ticket before, still never have, but i just thanked him for reminding me and he went on his way…
5 June 2006
at 12:51 p.m.

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kingdork44 (Anonymous) says…

We, as in You and That Turd in your pocket?
5 June 2006
at 1:11 p.m.

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Defender (Anonymous) says…

macon47, move back to the USSR.
5 June 2006
at 1:23 p.m.

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Godot (Anonymous) says…

Remember the story about the police department wanting to charge fines for false alarms?

http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/may…

Note this paragraph:”Creating a fee would require the city to do more than just pass a law. Olin told commissioners that the department would need an additional staff person to properly administer the program and perhaps a new computer software system.

The software program, which would help the department manage all of its records, would cost about $300,000. The staff person, who also would be responsible for tracking neighborhood noise complaints, would add about $31,000 to the department's budget.”

And my post at the time: “The operating phrase here is “would help the department manage all of its records…”

Olin wants a new records management system, and an extra person to track noise complaints, but doesn't think he can make a convincing argument for that, so he comes up with the “false alarm” excuse. Everyone hates to see government resources wasted, right? So they will gladly spend $300,000 to prevent that?

So, now, we have The Rest of The Story. I wonder if the new computers-in-the-cars will be able to trace cell phone signals to particular cars.

5 June 2006
at 1:35 p.m.

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boomersooner4ever (Anonymous) says…

fishing for DUI's seems to be part of the life for the LPD, I can understand why these law enforcement officials are not respected, being in the CJ field it is easy to see why this part of the state is a joke… a few of these officers make the whole force look bad. I think its the weird midwest mentality…git r done!!! I think the fair people of Lawrence should be used to it by now. It is a nice place to visit…thats all.
5 June 2006
at 1:46 p.m.

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jayhawks71 (Anonymous) says…

boomer, and the rest of the state with the speed traps. What a joke. There's a “cop joke” on every corner.

kingdork, im not sold that your memory is accurate after all these years. Perhaps you didn't quite hear the officer. Or the officer said you inserted the “a” and missed the “s.” And technically if you have two headlights out/off, you have “a headlight” (or two) out. You are investing too much energy in defending this :).

confrontation, i wasn't really insuating that you are a jerk. I was parroting the earlier (ridiculous) response that “people who speed are jerks.”
5 June 2006
at 2:13 p.m.

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sanders (Anonymous) says…

As usual most of you take this opprotunity to bash the police instead of taking responsibility for your own actions. If you don't want a speeding ticket don't speed.

JayHawk72 —

If you hate laws and the police so much, move away from Lawrence…. maybe to a shack in the middle of Nebraska where you will never see a cop and can't get arrested for that warrant you were complaining about before. But wait, that was you ex's fault right??? Don't take your aggressions and man hating about your ex and bash the city.

I think the real advantage of this system is not for the cops, but that they can eliminate a position in the court system by not paying someone to type in pointless ticket information. Makes sense to me.
5 June 2006
at 2:33 p.m.

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Godot (Anonymous) says…

“I think the real advantage of this system is not for the cops, but that they can eliminate a position in the court system by not paying someone to type in pointless ticket information. ”

Maybe they can transition that person into monitoring noise complaints.
5 June 2006
at 3 p.m.

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sanders (Anonymous) says…

well the noise complaint position seems like a complete waste
5 June 2006
at 3:53 p.m.

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Confrontation (Anonymous) says…

Jayhawks71: Understood, and I apologize. You may now use the mascot with pride.
5 June 2006
at 4:02 p.m.

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jayhawks71 (Anonymous) says…

Confrontation- no problem. However, I am going to continue to use the F-bomb (fascism) as I have today.

swbsow - perhaps he had a thing for pregnant women?

and J72 didn't comprehend the entire story. Part of the reason they do it is for safety. Let's make sure the LPD can tell us apart. I wouldn't want them to mistake me for you if I am ever stopped by them. :-)
5 June 2006
at 5:15 p.m.

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sanders (Anonymous) says…

SWBSOW:

That is a state wide standard traffic law which prohibits you from cutting across private property to avoid a traffic light/intersection. Not a random city ordinance that you had to read upon entering the city limits.

5 June 2006
at 5:49 p.m.

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sanders (Anonymous) says…

What did the traffic court do/tell her?
5 June 2006
at 6:30 p.m.

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gphawk89 (Anonymous) says…

I can't count the number of times I was pulled over by LPD in the 80's for “field checks”. My only crime was driving a “hot” car (loud exhaust, big rear tires, etc.) late at night. I was never doing anything illegal, they could never find anything wrong with my car, and thus I was never written a ticket. Every time, I'd ask them what the problem was, and they'd just give a vague “oh… well, we just like to keep track of who is out this time of night…”. It seemed like nothing but harrassment to me. Like several folks above mentioned, I've great respect for the law but little respect for law enforcement, for more reasons than the one I just mentioned.
5 June 2006
at 9:45 p.m.

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75x55 (Anonymous) says…

Hmm…. it would be so unfortunate if that mag strip was accidentally placed on a super-strong magnet for a night or so.

Reminds me of being pulled over on K-10 the other week during rush hour. Sheriff deputy told me I didn't use my turn signal - which I clearly did. I didn't ask him any questions, and don't have any priors, so he let it go. My guess was he wanted to make a 'light-bar' scene to slow down a fast place on the highway.

Hint - don't dump a load of questions or attitude on cops - they're just doing their jobs and they get enough of that anyway. It'll serve you better in the long run.
6 June 2006
at 3:57 a.m.

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adavid (Anonymous) says…

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.