The latest update from the team working on the illegal dumping topic:
- The city approved moving forward with our proposed plan to address the problem of public dumping through education, prevention and reporting.
- Seneca Systems revamped Romulus, our web based reporting and tracking software, to better capture and route illegal dumping complaints. ***REPORTING***
- PD will form a team to address incoming complaints with suspect information (more on this in the coming week). Incoming complaints will initially come into myself (Todd Berringer) so I can get a better sense of frequency and scope. Eventually, the reporting mechanism will be transferred over to the Records division to create a call for service and proper routing to the responsible Officer to follow-up on the suspect information. The team of Officers will follow-up on leads that have suspect information to either put together a criminal case, document the incident with a warning to build a stronger case in the future, or come up with an alternate solution.***PREVENTION***
- Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) informational brochure is being created and will be posted for the public on the PD’s website and through the city’s website (Romulus). ***PREVENTION***
- With the assistance of Ana Santiago (Code Enforcement), Thomas Wong (DPW) and Christine Foster (DPW) they have started issuing citations to merchant owners (including apartment complexes) for municipal code violations. ***EDUCATION/PREVENTION***
- Funding has been approved for the camera mini grants and CPTED site security improvements. The application process is currently being drafted before going to the City Attorney’s Office, Finance and DPW for approval. The approval process and the distribution (reimbursement) of funds to the business owners/property owners is still being worked out. ***PREVENTION***
- A funding source is being explored in order to provide business owners/landlords with a one-time dump voucher to offset their costs and reduce waste being dumped back onto city streets. ***PREVENTION***
- Cory Bytof and Shirley Ng are currently working on an outreach campaign for Multi Family Dwellings in the Canal to support the campaign and reinforce the illegality of putting unwanted junk on the street. ***EDUCATION***
- Ann Bauer, our Volunteer Program Assistant, is going to reach out to a group in the Canal about getting her gloves, bags, etc. for her volunteers who assist with streets beautification and small garbage collection.
- After completing the beta version of the plan above, I will get a group together to provide training to Records, Dispatch, DPW and Code Enforcement that contains a work flow chart regarding dumping on private/public property, suspect information, etc.
Just so you know, we are not alone in this problem. Many cities are dealing with an increase in illegal dumping.