|
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
| 