B.C. police begin testing new digital ticketing system

B.C. is piloting a new, digital ticketing system that will make roadside stops safer and quickerfor officers and offenders, the government says.

The Delta Police Department was the first of five police agencies to start testing the eTicket systemon Monday.

The technology, mounted in a police officer's vehicle, scans a driver's licence and automaticallyfills in offence detailson the ticket.

The ticket is printed from the monitor and theinformation can be sent straight toICBCeliminating the need to have the tickets mailed and the information re-entered on the insurer'send. Fines can be paidthrough the new online sitePayBC.

It should mean fewer mistakes are made and everyone gets off the roadside sooner.

"A significant number tickets are thrown out each yearbecauseof mistakes in the filling out of the form. This will eliminate that,"saidMikeFarnworth, B.C.'sMinister of Public Safety.

"Basically it is moving the ticketing of speeders into the 21st century," he added.

Delta Police ChiefConst.NeilDubord, who's also chair ofthe B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police Traffic Safety committee, said less time spent writing tickets by hand also means more time to nab bad drivers.

"The process is simply more efficient and quicker, and police officers will be freed up to do more enforcement," said Chief Const. Neil Dubord. "While not everyone will welcome the idea of police officers handing out more tickets, we believe this will improve road safety in the long term."

Testing will begin in Vancouver on April 2, with Prince George and North District RCMPjoining onApril 16. The Capital Regional District Integrated Road Safety Unit on southern Vancouver Island will start its piloton April 30.

The project wraps in mid-May. If all goes well, Farnworth said the eTicket systemcould be expanded across the province by the end of the year.

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With files from Megan Thomas