SPRINGDALE -- Police have received approval to buy mobile technology to expedite entering citation information into law enforcement databases.
The City Council approved amending the Police Department budget to buy printers for squad cars.
During last week's council committee meeting, Police Chief Mike Peters asked $28,000 be moved from his department's drug account to its purchasing account to buy 70 printers along with 70 base mounts, 75 pivot mounts and six cases of paper for $28,173.
"When a policeman makes a citation, he has to hand-write a ticket out and that makes it less legible and slower," Councilman Jim Reed said after the meeting. "With these printers, they'll be able to print off (the ticket information) they type into their laptops."
The printers also will enable officers to automatically enter citation information into law enforcement databases, Reed said.
"This printer is the one Arkansas State Police uses, so we'll be able to work with their program," Reed said.
The council also waived competitive bidding for the printers. The company L-Tron offers the lowest price, Peters said last week.
The department bought two printers to test them, and they worked well, Peters said last week.
The council also recognized the Arts and Ales Festival event at the Arts Center of the Ozarks as a city-approved special event.
The council also rezoned 3184 N. Thompson St. from large production retail sales direct to general commercial district and rezoned 3580 Kerr Road from agricultural district to low/medium density single family residential district and declaring an emergency.
NW News on 06/29/2016