The Homestead police and code compliance departments are turning to video cameras to catch illegal dumpers.
By Christina Veiga
cveiga@MiamiHerald.com
Tires, yard clippings, even entire boats and cars — all kinds of junk ends up getting dumped on public and private property in Homestead.
It’s unsightly. It’s illegal. And now, it may be harder to get away with.
The City Council on Wednesday agreed to spend about $70,000 so the city’s code compliance and police department can buy five cameras to be set up in secret locations in hopes of catching people dumping garbage illegally.
“We have areas that are just being plagued with illegal dumping,” said Homestead police Capt. Bobby Rea.
Rea and code compliance supervisor Crystal Ollivierre think Homestead has become a magnet for illegal dumping because the city picks up bulk trash much more often than the county — twice a month compared to twice a year.
“It’s a good way to get rid of your stuff and someone’s going to pick it up,” Ollivierre said.
Problem is, not only is the trash ugly, but it costs the city money to pick up and throw it away in a county dump. And if garbage is dumped on private property, it’s the owner’s responsibility to remove it, Ollivierre said.
“So then you’re burdened,” she said of private property owners.
This isn’t the first time the city has used cameras to fight crime, Ollivierre said. But previous cameras couldn’t get good-quality shots at night, when most of the dumping occurs, she said. The new cameras are expected to be much higher quality.
The new cameras will store footage and can be accessed remotely.
Penalties for illegal dumping can be harsh: Get caught, and in the most serious cases, your car could get impounded and you can get sent to jail with a felony charge. The minimum fine for illegal dumping is $200, according to the city code.
The city won’t disclose where the cameras will be set up, so people don’t vandalize them or simply dump elsewhere to avoid detection, but Police Chief Al Rolle told council members the city’s southwest section will be targeted first. Placing cameras there is part of a larger crack-down in the area, Rolle said. Councilman Jimmie Williams said the southwest, which he represents, is plagued with drug crimes.
“We’re going to take back the community,” Rolle said. “The cameras will definitely help us out.”
It’s unsightly. It’s illegal. And now, it may be harder to get away with.
The City Council on Wednesday agreed to spend about $70,000 so the city’s code compliance and police department can buy five cameras to be set up in secret locations in hopes of catching people dumping garbage illegally.
“We have areas that are just being plagued with illegal dumping,” said Homestead police Capt. Bobby Rea.
Rea and code compliance supervisor Crystal Ollivierre think Homestead has become a magnet for illegal dumping because the city picks up bulk trash much more often than the county — twice a month compared to twice a year.
“It’s a good way to get rid of your stuff and someone’s going to pick it up,” Ollivierre said.
Problem is, not only is the trash ugly, but it costs the city money to pick up and throw it away in a county dump. And if garbage is dumped on private property, it’s the owner’s responsibility to remove it, Ollivierre said.
“So then you’re burdened,” she said of private property owners.
This isn’t the first time the city has used cameras to fight crime, Ollivierre said. But previous cameras couldn’t get good-quality shots at night, when most of the dumping occurs, she said. The new cameras are expected to be much higher quality.
The new cameras will store footage and can be accessed remotely.
Penalties for illegal dumping can be harsh: Get caught, and in the most serious cases, your car could get impounded and you can get sent to jail with a felony charge. The minimum fine for illegal dumping is $200, according to the city code.
The city won’t disclose where the cameras will be set up, so people don’t vandalize them or simply dump elsewhere to avoid detection, but Police Chief Al Rolle told council members the city’s southwest section will be targeted first. Placing cameras there is part of a larger crack-down in the area, Rolle said. Councilman Jimmie Williams said the southwest, which he represents, is plagued with drug crimes.
“We’re going to take back the community,” Rolle said. “The cameras will definitely help us out.”
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/19/2857519/homestead-uses-cameras-to-fight.html#storylink=cpy
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