In addition, “Citation Management is already pursuing a backlog of over 1,200 unpaid parking tickets for the city.”In all, the city received seven of the hand-held units and Building and Safety will be utilizing three of the mini-computers.The devices and the services of Citation Management also represent a cost-savings through handling fine payments to collecting the debts resulting from the approximately 1,200 ticket backlog of tickets that have not been paid.Not only does the city Finance Department “not have the resources to try to collect” such outstanding fines, but “it would cost us more to even try to collect these tickets,” said Chief MacKinnon.
|
Community Service Officer Rosalia Madrigal enters a vehicle identification number into the new computer system for parking enforcement. If the vehicle is parked longer than the designated time, the computer will print a ticket and later the ticket will be dowloaded to a main computer for tracking. Photo by Don Johnson |
Hand-held ticket computers helps parking enforcement
June 20, 2007
Santa Paula Police Department
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula TimesThe Santa Paula Police Department rolled out a new electronic parking ticket program as well as contracting with a company to collect fines and to go after dead beats with outstanding balances, according to a SPPD official.Chief Steve MacKinnon noted that each on-duty Officer and CSO (Community Service Officer) will have access to a hand-held computer - a device pre-loaded with city streets and parking violations - to issue parking tickets.“A thermal printer within the unit prints out the ticket after it is entered into an electronic touch screen” and the end of the SPPD Officer’s shift the unit is returned to the station for recharging and downloading the data a private contractor.Citation Management of Milwaukee, WI will manage the parking ticket program by accepting all fines, pursuing late tickets and eventually “placing liens on vehicle registrations if fines go unpaid,” said Chief MacKinnon.Citizens will be given the option of paying fines by mail, dialing a toll-free number of on-line.Citation Management will provide the city with a monthly check for collected tickets, minus a $4.97 each processing fee per ticket.
