'Traffic Stop' Mobile Web Application Improves Officer Safety and Efficiency

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 28, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Police officers across the state have access to a new mobile web application designed to improve the safety and efficiency of traffic stops. 

The Traffic Stop application is available through the Pennsylvania Justice Network (JNET), a secure portal used by authorized criminal justice and public safety professionals to access data from local, state and federal agencies. 

"At no cost to taxpayers, we have created a tool that will increase public safety and allow officers to perform their jobs more effectively," said Secretary of Administration Sharon Minnich, whose office oversees JNET. "Officers can spend less time looking up information and be alerted sooner to potentially dangerous situations during traffic stops."

The application combines data from multiple sources, including PennDOT, Pennsylvania State Police, Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts and Department of Human Services.

During a stop, an officer can enter a license plate to determine if the vehicle is stolen or has expired registration. With a driver's license number or name and date of birth, the mobile-friendly application will let the officer know if a person is wanted or has active warrants, protection from abuse orders or a suspended or revoked license.

Previously, an officer would have to conduct as many as six different searches within JNET to gather the same information.

Since April, officers have conducted over 47,000 person and vehicle inquiries using the Traffic Stop application. Feedback from users has been overwhelmingly positive:

"It's the best officer safety tool currently available as it brings all information essential to our safety on traffic stops within seconds," said Robert Wood, Northern Berks Regional Police Department, Berks County.

"The application is amazing. I can run information quicker than a dispatcher. I have already made several arrests for expired and suspended registrations," said Nathan Groft, Carroll Valley Borough Police Department, Adams County.

"I stopped a vehicle the other day operated by an Ohio resident. When I queried his Ohio driver's license through Traffic Stop it revealed that he had two outstanding traffic-related warrants issued out of my county," said Jeremy Davis, Hermitage Police Department, Mercer County.

"I caught a person with an AOPC Warrant for a traffic violation and Domestic Relations Warrant for $11,000 in arears while using the application," said Joseph Scalera, West Shore Regional Police Department, Cumberland County.

To learn more about the Pennsylvania Justice Network, visit www.pajnet.pa.gov.

MEDIA CONTACT: Dan Egan (OA), 717-772-4237

SOURCE Pennsylvania Office of Administration

Related Links

http://www.pajnet.pa.gov