The Union County Circuit Clerk’s Office launched the eCitation system this summer with help from the Sheriff’s Department and local police agencies. The project began last October with installation and testing before expanding countywide.
Developed by Quicket Solutions, the system replaces paper tickets with a digital version. Officers can now write and submit citations directly from their squad cars.
Circuit Clerk Keri Clark said the project is an investment in safety and efficiency, made possible through a fund set aside specifically for eCitation.
“We’re really excited about this,” she said.
Clark said the technology streamlines the citation process. Officers no longer write tickets by hand or deliver physical copies to the court. Instead, citations are entered digitally at the scene and automatically transmitted into the court’s software.
“It eliminates a lot of manual steps and human error,” Clark said.
She said it also removes the need for physical handoffs and signatures, further reducing delays and paperwork.
A dedicated fund, built from a portion of traffic fines, allowed Clark’s office to equip nearly every law enforcement vehicle in the county, not just those in the Sheriff’s Department.
“By law, that money can only be used for eCitation purposes,” Clark said.
Using those funds, her office outfitted departments in Anna, Cobden, Jonesboro and Dongola.
Chief Deputy Anthony Pena, who led the installation and training, said the difference has been clear.
“Before, we were handwriting tickets, stuffing them into books, hoping none got lost or damaged,” Pena said.
He said the new system sends citations into a digital queue, where they’re automatically entered into the court’s records the next day.
Pena personally installed the printers, laptops and software in dozens of patrol vehicles, including 12 in the Sheriff’s Office. In all, about 25 cars across the county have been equipped.
He said the rollout came with challenges — from software bugs to variations in how departments operate — but after several months of work, the system is running smoothly.
“We’re right now good and fluid on what’s happening,” Pena said.
The software also connects directly to LEADS, Illinois’ law enforcement database, allowing officers to instantly retrieve driver and vehicle information without having to call dispatch. That, officials say, improves both speed and safety.
“There was research done by the company themselves that on average, I think it’s 11 minutes and 38 seconds that a police officer stands outside of a car during a traffic stop,” Clark said.
She noted the new system helps reduce that time, which is especially important on busy highways like U.S. 51 and Interstate 57.
Sheriff David Wilkins agreed, pointing out that many fatal crashes involving police officers happen during routine traffic stops.
He explained that a portion of every ticket goes into an account used exclusively for eCitation expenses.
“Every ticket we write, we get a percentage [that] goes into our account,” he said. “The only thing we could use it for was eCitation.”
That fund, he said, paid for the equipment now installed in patrol vehicles.
Deputy Circuit Clerk Britany Newman, who helped integrate the system with court software, stated that it has improved accuracy and reduced administrative burdens.
“It takes away a lot of data entry on our part, where we can make errors reading handwriting,” Newman said. “So it’s been great.”
The system can also handle warnings, towing reports, and crash reports — all in one program. Pena said officers can print driver information at the scene and complete longer reports later, reducing roadside time.
He described the rollout as a true team effort and credited Clark for pushing to include every department.
Clark said the decision to go countywide came from recognizing how closely departments work together in Union County.
“We didn’t just stop at the Sheriff’s Department,” she said. “It was across the board. It was consistent within the county.”
She added that in rural areas, agencies often rely on one another, especially when staffing is limited. Even small-time savings help officers respond faster to more urgent calls.
“We all work together to form one major department, because we all have to help each other,” she said.
The eCitation system is now operational in Union County patrol cars, and officials anticipate it will serve the community for years to come.
“It’s going to be one of those things that, when we’re, you know, no longer in our positions, these guys are still going to have this equipment,” Clark said. “And that’s valuable these days — especially for cops.”
©2025 The Southern Illinoisan, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
