New program begins to crack down on illegal dumping in Paterson, New Jersey
PATERSON, New Jersey (WABC) -- Illegal dumping has become a quality-of-life issue in Paterson, New Jersey, and now the city is cracking down on it.
The city on Monday, announced "Operation Clean Sweep" to combat the problem. This new program comes following a five-day span when officials discovered a trio of boats, two of them tagged, dilapidated and abandoned on Bergen Street.
"We are aligning our efforts whether its public works or public safety, we want to make sure the public knows we are taking this matter very seriously," said Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh.
Bergen Street is somewhat secluded, making it a weak point. But other problems spots have been found right off of Route 9 as violators can easily hop on and off the highway.
In November, police did catch 12 illegal dumpers. Each were hit with $2,500 fines. Those fines can now go up to $10,000.
"When we met with our counterparts in Camden a number of their illegal dumpers were coming from Philly cause all they have to do is cross the bridge," Sayegh said.
An outside company will destroy the boats, and crush them, but not before authorities record one very important piece of information -- VIN Numbers.
"All it takes is running the series numbers through the state's database to identify the last registered owner of that particular boat," said Patrick Murray of the Paterson Police Department.
The city is sending a clear message to anyone planning on leaving their trash on the streets that they are not welcomed and this is not Gilligan's Island.
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