It will soon be a lot easier for Mounties to issue traffic tickets in the Tri-Cities.
Coquitlam RCMP will begin issuing eTickets, which allow officers to swipe a driver's licence through a card reader, automatically filing out a motorist's information and offence details.
"The system has scored well so far in terms of ensuring accuracy and saving everyone's time roadside... including the unfortunate driver who is getting a ticket," said Cpl. Michael McLaughlin.
He added that the program will be rolling out over the next few months and will enable traffic officers to share information more quickly with police partners such as ICBC.
The Coquitlam detachment is not the only force in the Lower Mainland to use eTicket technology. Port Moody Police began issuing eTickets in August as part of the department's effort to modernize and streamline the ticketing process.
"Road safety is as much about education as it is enforcement," said Sgt. Travis Carroll of the Port Moody Police Department's Community Services Section. "Providing efficiencies through technology allows more time for our officer's to focus on both of those aspects by clearing stops quicker and getting back on the road."
While the tickets may look different, the penalties are the same as the blue carbon copies that have been issued to drivers in the past, according to the Port Moody Police Department. Alleged offenders still have the ability to dispute tickets and they can now be paid online at PayBC.
