Traffic stops are a vital element of police work. Issuing printed citations is an important way to teach drivers to comply with the law, as well as bringing in much-needed revenues for municipalities. The key is to execute these functions as safely, efficiently and accurately as possible — which is why an electronic citation issuing process is a must in today’s connected world.
Making this happen is what Dacra Tech’s eCitation software is all about. And when this software is partnered with Zebra’s Windows Pro ET8x series tablets powered by Microsoft Windows Pro, the result is a one-two combination that delivers lightning-fast data transfers from on-the-spot mobile devices.
ECITATION IMPROVES THE TICKETING PROCESS
Dacra Tech’s eCitation software is the solution that has been purpose built for law enforcement. It uses Dacra’s cloud-based platform to let officers populate the central database with all relevant citation information as they enter it on their tablets, thereby saving time and eliminating manual data entry errors.
With eCitation, officers can create, print and issue tickets with all relevant information, including hearing times and dates, while on location. The eCitation system can provide QR codes for drivers who choose to take immediate responsibility for their mistakes and pay their fines on the spot.
“There’s so much officers can do using the eCitation platform,” said Dacra Tech COO Tami Wanless. “For instance, they can easily look up the history of someone they have stopped, to see that persons violation history. In instances where the person may be a flight or safety risk, this step allows an officer to call for backup, thus keeping the officer safe.”
Then there’s the traditionally arduous task of walking through parking lots and checking license plates. Using eCitation and the Zebra Windows Pro tablet’s onboard camera, an officer simply takes a photo of each license plate they see. “When an infraction has been detected, the eCitation system will take the image and use its license plate recognition technology to pull the plate, make and model information, and use its GPS locator function to fill out the ticket. Then the officer can add the infraction data,” Wanless said. “The officer then prints out the ticket using their handheld Zebra printer, while the relevant information is logged in the department’s database for documentation and follow-up.”
ZEBRA PROVIDES THE TABLETS FOR THE JOB
No matter how useful a product like eCitation software is to law enforcement, it needs to be paired with a rugged, all-weather tablet computer to fulfill its roadside mission.
This is where Zebra ET8x two-in-one tablets powered by Microsoft Windows Pro come into the picture. Called “two-in-one” because they can operate as standalone touchscreen tablets for maximum portability or laptop computers by connecting the tablets to fully featured QWERTY keyboards.
The Zebra Windows Pro ET8x series comes in two rugged models: The ET80 and ET85. With its built-in 5G WWAN connectivity (and other connectivity options), the ET85 is ideally suited for in-the-field law enforcement use.
The rugged specifications of the Zebra ET85 are truly impressive. This two-in-one tablet meets the MIL-STD-810H standard for surviving a four-foot drop to plywood over concrete; with an optional rugged boot, that height can be increased to five feet. The ET85 also meets MIL-STD-810H’s requirements for surviving vibrations, solar radiation, fluid contamination, and thermal shock (minus 4°F to 140°F/minus 20°C to 60°C operating; minus 22°F to 158°F/minus 30°C to 70°C nonoperating).
But that’s not all: The ET85 complies with IEC 60529 Clause 13.4 for sealing enclosures and IP65 for tablets with ports open, keyboard and dock. Its electromagnetic compatibility is also aligned with MIL-STD 461G, EN 55032 and EN 55024.
The point of citing all these standards is simple: Writing citations in all weather conditions is tough on computers, and the Zebra ET85 is more than tough enough for the job. But it is also resilient enough and easy to use in all conditions, thanks to the ET85’s:
● 12-inch QHD (2160 by 1440) sunlight-readable display protected by Corning Gorilla Glass and an antireflective/antismudge screen treatment.
● Capacitive 10-point touchscreen with glove and wet modes.
● Front and back multi-megapixel cameras.
● Multiple communications modes (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 5G WWAN, NFC and GPS).
● Choice of 11th-generation Intel Core i7-1180G7/i5-1140G7/i5-1130G7 processors.
● Windows 11 Professional 64-bit operating system.
● Choice of 8- or 16-gigabyte LPDDR4x-4266 memory.
● Choice of 128-, 256- or 512-gigabyte tool-less user-removable PCIe SSD storage.
● Security features including TPM v2.0; NIST BIOS compliance; Windows Hello front-facing camera; Windows Hello fingerprint reader (optional); insertable Common Access Card (CAC) smartcard reader (optional); contactless NFC smartcard reader; persistence technology by Absolute embedded in BIOS4; and Kensington cable lock slots available on the tablet only or the tablet with the keyboard attached.
When a law enforcement agency uses Dacra Tech eCitation software on Zebra ET8x two-in-one tablets powered by Microsoft Windows Pro, they also receive the following additional Zebra-only software tools:
● Seamless push-to-talk communication and secure text messaging: This Workcloud Communication enterprise-class push-to-talk and text messaging systems lets officers talk to an individual or team with the press of a button. Meanwhile, secure text messaging includes visibility into which officers are available to respond, their locations and a complete log of all text messages for all users.
● Ingenious battery technology: Zebra’s PowerPrecision+ batteries check critical battery health metrics to ensure officers have battery power they can count on.
● Scanner configuration and data integration made easy: Users can automatically detect and easily configure scanners in their ET85 tablets with 123Scan, an easy-to-use tool that gets scanners up and running quickly.
A DYNAMIC DUO
Teaming Dacra Tech’s eCitation software with Zebra’s Windows Pro ET8X Tablets provides a strong ticketing solution for officers in the field, the agencies responsible for their law enforcement work and the municipalities that rely on tickets to change driver behavior and keep roadways safer for all.
For more information, visit Zebra.com.
