Brackenridge police cruisers soon could be equipped with technology for e-ticketing,
bringing the vehicles in line with the Tarentum fleet.
Officers are part of a consolidated force that began last August.
The technology is important for uniformity and public perception, said Tarentum Borough Manager Dwight Boddorf.
“Having the same technology ensures that all officers are using the same system, which can reduce errors and discrepancies in ticketing,” Boddorf said.
“It’s also important for efficiency. E-ticketing systems can speed up the ticketing process, allowing officers to issue citations more quickly and spend more time on patrol.”
Tarentum Council on Tuesday voted to apply for an $82,500 grant to pay for equipment.
If approved, money also would be used to buy new security cameras and pay for safety upgrades to the doors at the borough’s police office.
When Tarentum and Brackenridge councils voted last summer to consolidate police forces, officials in both municipalities said the goal is to maintain community policing and have familiar faces on the beat.
The five-year agreement sees Brackenridge paying Tarentum $435,000 plus an annual fee equal to 7% of its police budget, or $39,000.
Three Brackenridge officers and two vehicles were absorbed by the larger Tarentum department.
The fleet of cruisers is emblazoned with “Tarentum Borough Police Department, Serving Brackenridge.”
Tarentum officials said Tuesday the new technology will allow for the same equipment across the department, improving data integration that is used to track trends, analyze traffic patterns and making informed decisions about law enforcement priorities.
The technology also will simplify training and maintenance, they said.
Tawnya Panizzi is a TribLive reporter. She joined the Trib in 1997. She can be reached at tpanizzi@triblive.com.
