LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol is continuing to expand its technological capabilities through its use of new Automated Citation Devices in select areas throughout the state, with more rollout of the devices anticipated next year.
The agency said the small handheld computer produces an electronically generated citation – or eCitation – which can be sent automatically to the local traffic court.
“The expectation is that these devices will reduce the amount of time our officers spend on the side of the road and increase patrol time,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “The side of a highway can be a dangerous place for an officer and the violator, and less time spent writing tickets allows more time for providing assistance to motorists.”
In addition to an increase in officer safety, the CHP said the eCitations present an opportunity to reduce the amount of paper associated with issuing a citation and eliminate the need for the data to be entered manually by clerical staff at both the Area office and the court.
Ultimately, the process is a time and money saver benefiting the public, the CHP said.
“The system will deliver greater citation accuracy and provide officers access to real-time statistics with a greater level of detail, which allows us to focus departmental resources where they are needed most,” added Commissioner Farrow.
The CHP said it began using the devices through a pilot program in March 2012 in three CHP Area offices – Westminster, Santa Ana and Capistrano.
This year, the devices have been added at offices in seven counties: Sacramento, Santa Clara, San Bernardino, Orange, Fresno, Merced and Kings.
This fall, the CHP said the eCitation devices also will be added to its available technology within Los Angeles County.
Additional CHP offices throughout the state are expected to begin issuing eCitations in 2017, the CHP said.
Janelle Dunham of the CHP's headquarters office in Sacramento told Lake County News that the automated citation devices are being put into use depending on two main factors – the amount of volume on the highways, and how ready the county and courts are with automated case management software.
The local command works with the county and courts and makes sure that everyone has the necessary training, she said.
Not all of the counties where they've been deployed so far are urban, however, “they do have a lot of highway traffic,” Dunham said.
As of yet, its not clear on when the eCitation devices will make their way to Lake County, according to Dunham and to Officer Kory Reynolds of the Clear Lake Area office in Kelseyville.
Reynolds, however, was able to offer an update on other upgrades for the local office, including the addition of three more specially made Ford Explorers, which now account for half of the office's 11-vehicle fleet.
The CHP is no purchasing fuel-efficient, six-cylinder Dodge Chargers to replace the Crown Victoria patrol cars that have been in use for many years, Reynolds said.
He said the Crown Victorias still account for the other half of the local CHP fleet, with the car with the highest mileage out of the Kelseyville office now having more than 200,000 miles, but still running well.
Reynolds said the local fleet manager expects to be fully switched over to all of the new vehicles by the end of this year.
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CHP ramps up statewide electronic citation project
- Elizabeth Larson
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