Lehighton Police Department's patrol cars are now equipped with an electronic citation system.

Officers have used the Traffic and Criminal Software system for about a month now, according to Police Chief Brian Biechy.Biechy said the system is beneficial because it means officers have to spend less time on traffic stops, which means more time on patrol.It also improves officer safety, allows for increased accuracy on citations and less time out of the borough transporting paperwork to the magistrate, accident reporting keeps officers on the streets, and electronic submission allows for "going green.""It speeds up the whole process," Biechy said. "It's the future as far as law enforcement ticket writing."That makes Lehighton the first municipal department in Carbon County to be up and running with the system, Biechy said.He praised the Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank, which provided the department with funds to allow it to put the hardware into the cars."They have been very generous throughout the community," Biechy said.