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Photo: Louisville Metro Council
For a second time in less than a week, Solid Waste Management Services Enforcement Officers, with help from a private citizen, have located and impounded a vehicle caught on camera illegally dumping. It’s the 12th impounded vehicle of the year.
“I want to thank the citizens who assisted SWMS Officers in locating this vehicle. It’s assistance like this from the public that are making sure are neighborhoods are not being turned into someone’s personal dumping ground,” said Councilwoman Nicole George (D-21). “The message has always been clear, if you illegally dump in our neighborhoods, it will be costly when you get caught.”
According to SWMS Enforcement, on August 10th, a citizen’s private security system captured a white Ford F-150 being used to dump a couch in the Beechmont Neighborhood. The SWMS Enforcement Team was able to locate the vehicle today in the 100 block of East Adair.
In total, the illegal dumper received a citation with fines and fees totaling $750. Also, they will have to pay approximately $250 for impound and storage fees.
This is the second impounded vehicle for the week. On Wednesday, a Ford F150 was impounded in the 3500 Block of River Park Drive as a result of illegal dumping that had occurred in September in District 6.
Impounding any vehicle involved in illegal dumping was approved by the Louisville Metro Council when it amended the local ordinance on illegal dumping. The changes to the ordinance also called for fines and storage fees paid the dumper when the impounded vehicle was found.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
President David James is praising the enforcement effort of Solid Waste Management Services officers as the 11th vehicle of the year is impounded for illegal dumping in District 6.
“It is important that everyone know these officers are serious about catching any illegal dumping in our city,” said the President. “We, on the Metro Council, continue to send out the message that if you dump illegally anywhere in our districts or neighborhoods, you will be caught, and it will be costly.”
This latest impoundment occurred after SWMS Enforcement located and impounded this Ford F-150. It was witnessed on surveillance cameras being used to dump a mattress and construction debris in District 6 on September 21st and September 28th.
According to SWMS, Enforcement Officers were able to track down the vehicle in the 3500 block of River Park Dr. The illegal dumper admitted that he was working on a property and was given money to dispose of the material properly but chose instead to dump it behind a vacant property.
As a result, the illegal dumper received a citation with a fine of $1000. There is also a fine of approximately $250 for impound and storage fees.
The Solid Waste Management Services Enforcement Department has impounded its 4th vehicle of 2018 for illegal dumping.
With the help of employees from Bulk Waste, last week a Uhaul truck in the 2500 block of W Jefferson was seen illegally dumping. The employee took pictures of the vehicle and waited until SWMS Enforcement was able to investigate.
“Once again, I commended the officers and Bulk Waste for helping us crack down on this crime,” says Councilwoman Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5). “Our streets and alleys are not a landfill, if you are going to remove trash and debris do it the right way or it will cost you.”
SWMS officers say once confronted, it was learned one of the individuals lived in the area and knew Bulk Waste would be in the area soon for bulky item collection. They were working at another property and hauled debris from that location and placed at a vacant property in the 2500 block of W Jefferson.
The responsible party will receive a $500 fine plus the cost of cleanup and pay approximately $500 in impound and storage fees.
Over the last several years, SWMS officers have been impounding vehicles involved in illegal dumping after the Metro Council approved a change in the Metro Code of Ordinances. The change also allows anyone who sees illegal dumping and can identify the vehicle or shoot pictures of it. Those pictures have lead officers to impound the vehicle. Eighteen vehicles were impounded in 2017.
Solid Waste Management Services Enforcement has located and impounded its 2nd vehicle of 2018 after an alert citizen caught illegal dumping going on in the 2100 Block of Pirtle Street.
“I want to thank the people of area for their efforts to keep Pirtle Street from becoming a dumping ground and SWMS for their fast work with citizens to make illegal dumping a costly venture,” says Councilwoman Barbara Sexton Smith (D-4), who represents the area.
SWMS Enforcement was contacted by a citizen that confronted and photographed an individual dumping out of a pickup truck in the 2100 Block of Pirtle St. According to SWMS, the individual that dumped the material ignored the citizen and continued to dump.
Based on the images and the witness statement, SWMS Enforcement issued a citation and impounded the vehicle. The citation totaled $750, and the owner will have to pay approximately $250 for impound and storage fees.
For many years, the Metro Council has focused attention and resources to stop illegal dumping throughout Metro Louisville.
“The Council’s message has always been a simple one: if you decide to illegal dump in where in the city, you will pay,” says Sexton Smith.
