If a Knoxville Police Department officer pulls you over and issues a traffic citation, that officer is doing so by hand, on paper. KPD Chief David Rausch says it's time to bring that system into the 21st century.
Tuesday night, Rausch plans to propose a way to make those changes. Rausch wants to upgrade ticket-writing to an electronic system. The changes would streamline citations, take less time for both officer and offender, and cut down on paperwork, Rausch said.
But those changes would cost money. Rausch said he plans he defray the costs by attaching a five-dollar fee to paid traffic tickets. Earlier this year, the Tennessee General Assembly gave local law enforcement departments permission to seek such fees to cover technology upgrade costs.
Rausch's plan will be evaluated by the Knoxville City Council at its Tuesday night meeting. The idea needs to be approved twice before it could take effect.