An electronic search warrant pilot program has been expanded in southwest Iowa, including Council Bluffs.

The Iowa Supreme Court issued an order last month to expand the program, which was established by the Iowa Legislature provisionally in 2017. The program allows transmission of an application for a search warrant and the subsequent issuance of a search warrant to be made by electronic means.

A memorandum from the court says the aims of the program are to reduce the time to obtain warrants, reduce travel time by law enforcement officers and make more efficient use of judicial officers’ time. It also aims to lower overall costs.

Originally, the pilot program was limited to Fremont, Mills, Montgomery and Page counties.

It will now include Audubon, Boone, Cass, Fayette, Greene, Harrison, Iowa, Pottawattamie, Shelby and Tama counties.