Illegal Dumping Surveillance Camera Program Update

Presented to the Quality of Life & Government Services CommitteeMay 23, 2011

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Purpose

To provide an update on the illegal dumping surveillance camera program that was implemented by Code Compliance in Spring 2011

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Background

Illegal dumping is a serious issue for the City, especially in Southern Sector

Responding to illegal dumping concerns drain City resources

Code Compliance performs over 1,000 heavy Clean Operations annually exceeding $1,000,000 in time and labor annually

The City employs several methods for addressing illegal dumping concerns

Public information, education and signs

Address dump sites provided by our customers and by City staff in the field

Use surveillance at habitual dump sites to identify and prosecute offenders

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Use of Surveillance Cameras

The Illegal Dump Team (IDT) of the City Marshal’s Office utilizes covert surveillance cameras in their dumping investigations

Parks and Recreation utilizes Q-Star Technology’s FlashCAM 880K in their parks to monitor dumping, graffiti and vehicle theft

Code Compliance also utilizes the FlashCAM 880K to monitor habitual illegal dumping sites around the City

FlashCAM 880K

Code Compliance Program

Code Compliance staff collaborated with the City Marshals to form a comprehensive list of dumping locations

The list contains over 80 locations across the City

Code Inspectors also refer new dumping locations to camera team

Locations are evaluated by the camera team to determine if it is a viable camera location

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Code Compliance Program (cont.)

A total of four cameras were purchased

First Installation took place in January 2011

Cameras have been installed at 9 different locations to date*

Length of installation varies and cameras may need adjustments due to:

Traffic

Angle of Camera

Timing/Frequency

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*Table in Appendix

Results to date

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1300 Riverwood2300 Moonlight545 N. Main

3223 Pennsylvania 2900 Tortotise 2300 Sunbeam

Results to date (cont.)

The nine locations where cameras have been placed are known dumping hot spots that have been problems for the City for years

Dumping has been notably absent at a majority of these locations while the cameras have been up

There have been some vehicles with suspicious loads that never dumped, more than likely after observing the cameras

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Results to date (cont.)

There was the single location that yielded enough evidence to make a referral to the Illegal Dump Team during the first 3 months of the program

The 5400 Block of Nomas is in West Dallas

This area is a hot bed for dumping

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5400 Nomas

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The camera picked up the paper tag that was used on this van that dumped some materials. Further investigation by the IDT found that the paper tag did not match up with the van that committed the offense.

5400 Nomas (cont.)

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The IDT is currently pursuing the perpetrators of this illegal dump based upon the license plate number picked up by the cameras.

Staff Findings

The cameras have proven to be successful thus far as a deterrent, both visually and audibly, in a majority of initial locations

Success on Nomas may be attributed to the fact that the camera was placed in a tree a 100 ft or so off the road out of sight

Mastering the proper settings on the camera are critical to capturing perpetrators in the act (i.e. proper sensor delay, number of pictures taken per trigger, allowing access to sunlight for solar charge, etc.)

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Next Steps

Continue to work closely with Marshal’s office on identification of potential camera sites and providing visual evidence for dumping investigations

Continue movement of the cameras to other chronic dump sites around the City

Explore the feasibility of using “decoy” units as a deterrent at certain locations

Appendix -

Camera Locations

Location Date of Installation

Date of Removal # of Referrals to IDT

3223 Pennsylvania 1/28/11 2/28/11 None5400 Nomas 2/10/11 2545 W Main 2/28/11 4/1/11 None2900 Tortoise 2/28/11 4/28/11 None1300 Riverwood 3/1/11 4/28/11 None2400 Sunbeam 3/1/11 4/28/11 None2300 Moonlight 3/1/11 None8003 Rothington 5/6/11 Photos not yet

reviewed2000 Blk of Canyon 5/6/11 Photos not yet

reviewed

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