CALL 311 TO REPORT ILLEGAL DUMPING (see article below for further information)
LOS ANGELES (January 31, 2008) – The City of Los Angeles Department of Public Works has a new tool in its arsenal to combat blight, illegal dumping, and related violators within the city limits, Board of Public Works President Cynthia M. Ruiz said today. “It is a retrofitted white 2007 Dodge Charger Bureau of Street Services Investigation and Enforcement vehicle to allow our investigators to perform their tasks more effectively,” said Ruiz.
Funded through a $300,000 Waste Tire Grant from the California Environmental Protection Agency, Integrated Waste Management Board, the new vehicle has been designed to augment Investigation and Enforcement Division efforts in conducting surveillance activity, making arrests and transporting violators to community police facilities. “With black and sliver accessories, the new vehicle has an inside cage, light bar, front push bar to push offending inoperable illegal dumping vehicles from the street, inside microphone, outside speakers, spotlights on each side,” said Chief Street Services Investigator Gary Harris. “A laptop computer bay to download data gathered from a surveillance camera is included to allow investigators to run license plates and complete related tasks.”
Street Services Investigation and Enforcement Division primarily is responsible for public property and protecting citizens from injuries and accidents that could occur from hazardous and dangerous conditions on public property. “The Division enforces a variety of Municipal Code Sections and Board of Public Works regulations enacted to protect public property, ensure public safety and minimize the City’s exposure to liability,” said Harris.
“Investigators eagerly welcome this new state-of-the-art unit. We expect it to give us a critical advantage in combating blight and apprehending illegal dumping violators,” said Senior Street Services Investigator Rodney Lucas. “It will allow our investigators to perform their tasks more effectively throughout the city, particularly in severely impacted locations of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley.”
Over the past two years, the Investigations and Enforcement Division has been responsible for 125 illegal dumping arrests, saving over 500 hours of sworn police officer patrol time. Investigators also have issued 4,320 Notices to Abate Nuisance and conducted 1,810 administrative hearings for illegal dumping, during the same time period.
The City of Los Angeles offers a $1,000 reward for information resulting in the identification, apprehension and conviction or final adjudication of persons committing the act of illegal dumping. To qualify, the person reporting the crime must have been involved in the conviction or final adjudication. To report an act of illegal dumping, call 3-1-1, the City’s 24-hour, non-emergency hotline.
For further information on this article Contact: Richard E. Lee (213) 978-0324, (213) 978-0333
Email: richard.lee@lacity.org