A new electronic system in Schererville and St. John squad cars will make issuing warnings and tickets more efficient, police officials said.

The new technology will allow police to scan driver's licenses and license plate bar codes to obtain personal and vehicle identification. Violators will receive a printout of their ticket, rather than a handwritten one, Schererville Police Chief David Dowling said.

Under the current method, officers write a ticket on the scene and then submit the information for computer input at the police station. The new in-squad systems will increase efficiency by eliminating that "double entry," Dowling said.

Schererville and St. John police received grants through the Indiana Justice Institute to fund 75 percent of the cost of bar code scanners and printers for their squad cars. The towns will pick up the remainder of the expense.

The equipment should be in place in the next two to three months.

Schererville's share is $6,000, Dowling said, adding the equipment will be put into the town's 36 marked squad cars.

St. John will receive 15 units, St. John Police Chief Fred Frego said, adding the new system should decrease errors and improve efficiency.

"It will certainly enhance the quality of statistics," he said. "It's going to be pretty exact reporting."

Dowling said the printed tickets will be easier for motorists to read, Dowling said.

Training officers to use the system won't be difficult. It's as simple as scanning a bar code, he said.

Schererville and St. John join other local departments that are exploring the technology. Valparaiso police began using electronic ticketing earlier this year.