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Putting a stop to illegal dumping in Milwaukee
Illegal dumping is an issue seen all across Milwaukee. Now, city leaders and police are ramping up efforts to stop it.
MILWAUKEE - Illegal dumping is an issue seen all across Milwaukee.
Now, city leaders and police are ramping up efforts to stop it.
From tires to mattresses, and everything in between, illegal dumping is not only an eyesore that can be spotted around the city, it’s something that Ald. Lamont Westmoreland hears complaints about weekly.
"I am sick and tired of people dumping their furniture or tires or soda bottles," Westmoreland said. "These people are literally stunting the growth. Milwaukee, we have to clean it up. We got to get rid of this littering mindset, we got to get rid of this, ‘I’m going to throw it down and somebody else is going to clean it up.’"
Milwaukee Ald. Lamont Westmoreland
The city is cracking down on people with that mindset.
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"I want people to understand that MPD will be out proactively looking for those offenders," he said.
And officers are ramping up enforcement.
"There are consequences of littering or illegal dumping, and they should be aware of this, because they could be cited," Milwaukee Police Sgt. Efrain Cornejo said.
People caught illegally dumping could have to pay up to $5,000.
"Those type of dumpings, what we’ll see is they’ll go to a vacant lot," Cornejo said.
Milwaukee Police Sgt. Efrain Cornejo
But even if you’re caught littering on any street or sidewalk in Milwaukee, it could cost a $500 fine.
"We’re emphasizing to our officers to be more vigilant on it," Cornejo said.
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Police are asking for the community’s help.
"Be a good witness and be vigilant," Cornejo said. "Grab as much information as you can about an individual that might be engaged in this behavior, then report it to police."