On Tuesday, a team of road patrol officers nabbed violators on Walton Road using a computer system on loan from a Boca Raton company. The Quick Ticket software from Advanced Public Safety allows officers to create tickets electronically, spitting them out of compact computer printers in patrol cars.

At traffic stops, officers can use the program to get almost instant information on vehicle ownership, driving histories and arrest warrants. A computer-generated voice reads the results of the searches so officers can keep their eyes on the car ahead. Officers don't have to type most of the information -- it pops up on their screen when they swipe the driver license through a car reader.

Police administrator William May said he expects that the software, on loan to the department for a 30-day trial, will make handwritten tickets obsolete.

"This would be like going from a revolver to a semi-automatic weapon," he said.

May is working to negotiate a more affordable price for the software, which the company lists at about $600 per patrol car for 25 cars, plus wiring and a $5,000 installation fee. He said he hopes the chief and city council will approve the purchase for the 38 patrol cars already equipped with laptop computers.

May said the Port St. Lucie would almost certainly be the first Treasure Coast law enforcement agency to use the software, which was released less than a year ago.

He believes it could cut the time to write a ticket from about five minutes to 30 seconds.