Trash collectors to serve as eyes and ears in the street for police

[AndreaGail]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/40707906

Waste Management workers are out and about when almost everyone else is not. Except someone who might be up to no good.

A former FBI agent recently trained all Waste Management drivers, helpers and technicians in Rensselaer and Albany Counties to act as a mobile community watch.

"They're on these routes every day so they're used to the normal situation so they are able to recognize a non-normal situation," explains Ken Bevis of Waste Management. Trucks are now armed with a cell phone, camera and incident reports so they'll have accurate information for police and, possibly, prosecutors.

"The drivers understand their main job is to observe and report and let authorities do their job," explains Bevis.

The extra set of eyes and ears in the street is appreciated because even cops know they can't be everywhere, all the time.

"The old adage is 'where's a cop when you you need one?' Now it will be where's a cop or DGS or Waste Management when you need one," says Albany Police Chief Steve Krokoff.

"Waste Watch" is free to municipalities and the Capital Region is the first area in New York state to benefit from the program.

[k-os]

Thanks, AndreaGail.

And you know, people think nothing of their garbage men, trash collectors, waste removal engineers . . . whatever you want to call them. I bet at parties, nobody asks them about their job. They're the perfect spies.

Make sure you break down those cabellas boxes, or waste management will put another red flag next to your name on The List.

[BrewTech]

"The drivers understand their main job is to observe and report and let authorities do their job," explains Bevis.

Here I was thinking that their main job would be picking up the garbage.

I guess the term "WASTE MANAGEMENT" has simply become a euphemism for "spying on the sheep".

Oh, hey, I get it... waste management... good one.

[MNeagle]

first area in New York state to benefit from the program

Yes, what a benefit!! :sarc:

I'm glad our haulers don't even leave the truck, they have mechanical arms on the trucks that hoist the can to dump the contents directly into the truck.

[Twisted Titan]

The extra set of eyes and ears in the street is appreciated because even cops know they can't be everywhere, all the time.


Because they are out there doing the dangerous work of fighting crime.