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Hillsborough Trash Trooper Program Targets Litterbugs
Tribune file photo by CHRISTINE DELESSIO
A nonprofit group is empowering people to report litterbugs in Hillsborough County.
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Published: July 13, 2008
TAMPA - Hate it when you see a litterbug? Now you can exact vengeance by cell phone.
Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful, a nonprofit organization aimed at keeping the county free of litter, has started a pilot program in the Mango, Seffner and Thonotosassa areas called Trash Troopers.
The program works like this: Residents who see someone, say, toss a drink can out of his car can call a hot line and leave information about what they saw, when the littering happened and any identifying information, such as a license plate number.
The organization will send letters to offending motorists informing them that someone in their vehicle was spotted littering and that littering is illegal. A trash bag or pocket ashtray will also be provided.
"This is a way that could empower residents to take back their community and address litterbugs in a nonconfrontational manner," said Christine Commerce, executive director for Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful.
The program officially will launch with a news conference Friday. Then volunteers will take to the streets to tell people about the program.
Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful partnered with the Hillsborough County Solid Waste Department to start the program.
The county provides 70 to 80 percent of the organization's budget, said James Ransom of the solid waste department.
Commerce said the program will give the organization an opportunity to educate people about littering. For example, some people don't know cigarette butts are litter.
The program also seeks to provide some kind of consequence for littering. Although littering is illegal, the only way a person can be ticketed is if a law enforcement officer witnesses the littering.
Law enforcement will be contacted if repeat offenders appear in the organization's records, Commerce said. She doesn't expect that to happen, though; other groups across the state with similar programs don't usually have repeat offenders, she said.
Commerce said Keep Hillsborough County Beautiful has met with law enforcement officials from the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office to inform them about the program. While the program is still in its testing phase, the sheriff's office will keep an eye on how things are going.
Next year, Commerce hopes to develop a partnership with the sheriff's office that would allow her organization to put the sheriff's logo on the letterhead and "put some teeth behind the letter."
Reporter Jessica DaSilva can be reached at (813) 259-7851 or jdasilva@tampatrib.com.
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