Rangers from Coffs Harbour City Council are among the first in Australia to be using a new hand-held electronic system for issuing fines and recording warnings. The City currently has six of the devices. They are capable of issuing on the spot fines, as well as recording both photographic and verbal evidence for later use. Information from each device is transferred to a central computer application and stored.
The Pin Force system is expected to save rate payers an estimated $30,000 per year by reducing administration costs and simplifying any disputes. The system also provides a central record of verbal warnings given by rangers, which is expected to reduce the chance of repeat offences. The Pin Force devices also mean that parking patrols can be conducted in wet weather, as the practice of chalk marking tyres will no longer be used.
Senior Ranger Coordinator, David Brooks, said that the public will need to pay more attention to time limits as motorists will not be aware that their vehicle has been ‘electronically’ marked. It is expected that the new system will reduce data entry errors by 95 per cent as well as the chances of accidental fines. It is currently being used in a variety of law enforcement areas, such as parking, environment and planning, as well as pets and food laws.
For further information contact Sara Hinds, Media Officer, Coffs Harbour City Council on (02) 6648 4093.
