EGG HARBOR CITY – The police department here is one of the few in southern New Jersey lacking mobile data transmitters – computers officers can use to search police information networks from behind the wheel.

With this year’s budget setbacks, even the $12,000 it would take to buy and maintain two of the units was never seriously considered as a line item. But other towns’ experiences showed the department that the devices could save time and make money.

Dispatchers would spend less time on the line providing information to police, Officer Matthew Landicini said, while officers would work through vehicle stops more quickly and thus could make more of them, potentially accruing more revenue from tickets.

Nearly all of the New Jersey State Police’s 800 marked cars have been installed with mobile computers since 1999, spokesman Sgt. Stephen Jones said. The units are being replaced or updated throughout the force this year.

Mullica Township, Egg Harbor City’s neighbor, has installed units in about half of its 12 cars since 2005.

“It was something that we had looked at for several years, viewing other departments’ success,” said Lt. Paul Register, a 19-year member of the Mullica force.

Twelve Hammonton cars have the units, which also allow on-duty officers to type messages to headquarters.

“Sometimes, there are things we don’t want to say over the air,” Hammonton Police Chief Frank Ingemi said.

Hammonton pays a maintenance contractor – “not a cheap thing,” Ingemi said – while Register said Mullica’s machines don’t have many problems.

“It’s a computer. From time to time, they have their bugs. … I think they’re very reliable,” Register said.

Landicini is soliciting donations from community organizations in Egg Harbor City and is scheduled to make his case to the Chamber of Commerce at its meeting today.

Betty Schoenstein, head of City Council’s safety committee, confirmed that the department wouldn’t have had much luck getting the computers funded by the city.

“We can’t afford them right now. We haven’t even figured out the budget yet,” Schoenstein said. “It’s not doable this year, but if someone could help them out, that would be fantastic.”

Even if the money were available, Schoenstein said, she’d rather put it toward hiring another officer.

Appealing to businesses to help fund police equipment is a rare tactic for the Egg Harbor City department, Landicini said, but such is the state of local finances. The department publicized its quest for the computers last summer but raised no funds.

Egg Harbor City Chief John McColgan recently cited Mullica Township’s better equipment as a consideration in the potential merger of the two police departments, something both municipalities last week voted to explore.

To e-mail Eric Scott Campbell at The Press:

ECampbell@pressofac.com