PALMDALE – The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is now using new tools purchased by the City in speed enforcement operations. The traffic citation system includes e-Citation Lidar wands, software, and mobile printers that provide the LASD Palmdale Station with fast, accurate options for issuing electronic tickets for traffic, parking, permit, or other infractions. The equipment purchase is a collaborative effort to reduce fatal and injury traffic collisions.
“Speeding puts everyone at risk, whether you are another motorist, cyclist, or pedestrian, and we need people to slow down,” said Palmdale Mayor Laura Bettencourt. “The City is committed to catching these motorists and providing law enforcement with the tools they need to prosecute these offenders.”
These new tools allow LASD Palmdale Station staff to issue citations within minutes, eliminating errors and tedious data entry. Additionally, the equipment improves officer safety with less time spent on high-risk roads and highways. Without the new equipment, a deputy would typically take 15 minutes to handwrite a citation. These electronic citations can be issued in minutes, provide a photo of the driver showing their speed, help reduce questionable evidence, and eliminate the need for deputies to appear in court, keeping them in the field.
“We are extremely grateful to the City for purchasing this equipment. It helps build trust in the community,” explained LASD Deputy Kyle Steffes. “When people dispute the citation, and we show them the photo, they see the evidence that they were speeding and understand we are not picking on them but just doing our jobs and trying to keep people safe.”
The purpose of speed enforcement operations is to help prevent traffic collisions from occurring, especially those that cause injuries or fatalities. There has been a substantial increase in severe and fatal injury traffic collisions within and surrounding the Antelope Valley, in which speed was a main factor. The speed involved in a crash is directly related to the extent of injury the parties endure.