Legislative Matter

Miami-Dade Legislative Item
File Number: 191469

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Clerk's Official Copy

File Number: 191469

File Type: Resolution

Status: Adopted

Version: 0

Reference: R-766-19

Control: Board of County Commissioners

File Name: ILLEGAL DUMPING TASK FORCE ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT

Introduced: 5/29/2019

Requester: NONE

Cost:

Final Action: 7/10/2019

Agenda Date: 7/10/2019

Agenda Item Number: 11A3

Notes:

Title:

RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR’S DESIGNEE DEDICATE ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES, UTILIZE EXISTING INVESTIGATIVE TOOLS, AND IMPLEMENT A TRAINING PROGRAM, TO COMBAT ILLEGAL DUMPING AND ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES; AND REQUIRING A REPORT

Indexes:

ILLEGAL DUMPING

Sponsors:	Jose "Pepe" Diaz, Prime Sponsor
	Esteban L. Bovo, Jr., Co-Sponsor
	Daniella Levine Cava, Co-Sponsor
	Audrey M. Edmonson, Co-Sponsor
	Jean Monestime, Co-Sponsor
	Rebeca Sosa, Co-Sponsor

Sunset Provision: No

Effective Date:

Expiration Date:

Registered Lobbyist:

None Listed

Legislative History
Acting Body	Date	Agenda Item	Action	Sent To	Due Date	Returned	Pass/Fail

Board of County Commissioners	7/10/2019	11A3	Adopted				P

Public Safety and Rehabilitation Committee	6/11/2019	2A	Forwarded to BCC with a favorable recommendation				P
REPORT:	Vice Chairman Diaz mentioned the written report to the Board must be within 90 days of the effective date of this resolution. Commissioner Levine Cava requested to be added as a co-sponsor and mentioned the issues of illegal dumping affecting the farmers’ properties in the Redland district, located outside of Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management (DSWM) service area. Commissioner Sosa mentioned the importance of keeping the funds for the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD) and requested the Administration identify the availability of additional funding for the MDPD specialized unit to be instituted for the efforts outlined in the proposed resolution. Also, Commissioner Sosa asked that this information be provided before the consideration of the Fiscal Year 2019-2020 budget. Vice Chairman Diaz agreed with Commissioner Sosa in dedicating additional law enforcement resources from MDPD to combat illegal dumping, and suggested creating a specialized unit to address illegal dumping and environmental crimes. Chairman Martinez inquired about a related task force they used to have years ago with the illegal dumping. Juan Perez, Director, Miami Dade Police Department (MDPD) stated they used to have an environmental task force with the Illegal Dumping Unit that works closely with the resources in other departments in the County. Mr. Perez pointed out identifying additional funding and looking to work with the administration to get more personnel in the Illegal Dumping Unit. Vice Chairman Diaz requested that staff work diligently on these issues since the commissioners had received several complaints from the constituents. Michael J. Fernandez, Director Miami-Dade County Department of Solid Waste Management (DSWM) stated they were working together with MDPD and agreed with the commissioner in having dedicated funding for the police force to deal with illegal dumping. Discussion ensued among the Committee members about the urgent need to identify funding and more police force to solve illegal dumping within communities. Commissioner Sosa suggested working on finding the funds before the Budget comes out and mentioned the importance of Police, Fire and Waste Collection departments as the direct services to the community. Commissioner Levine Cava made an additional comment regarding the need for policing, which dealt with traffic and traffic safety. She noted she met with Director Perez and the department instituted special traffic enforcement teams within each commission district, but it should be County-wide. Hearing no other questions or comments, the members of the Public Safety and Rehabilitation Committee proceeded to vote on the foregoing proposed resolution as presented.

County Attorney	5/29/2019		Assigned	David Sherman	5/29/2019

County Attorney	5/29/2019		Referred	Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Committee	6/13/2019

Legislative Text

TITLE
RESOLUTION REQUESTING THAT THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE DEDICATE ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT RESOURCES, UTILIZE EXISTING INVESTIGATIVE TOOLS, AND IMPLEMENT A TRAINING PROGRAM, TO COMBAT ILLEGAL DUMPING AND ENVIRONMENTAL CRIMES; AND REQUIRING A REPORT

BODY
WHEREAS, illegal dumping in Miami-Dade County is a serious issue that creates a wide range of problems; and
WHEREAS, illegal dumping may pose serious environmental challenges and sometimes occurs on environmentally-sensitive areas, such as wetlands; and
WHEREAS, illegal dumping may also be an economic threat to the County and its residents; and
WHEREAS, illegal dumping is a problem in the County�s residential areas, such as when violators illegally dump trash and waste on a resident�s otherwise legal bulky waste pick-up pile, causing an excess beyond the services included within the annual service fees; and
WHEREAS, illegal dumping is a problem in the County�s rural, agricultural areas, where violators illegally dump trash and waste on the right-of-way or even on another person�s real property; and
WHEREAS, the Board previously adopted Resolution No. R-1201-17 and directed the administration to create the Miami-Dade County 2017 Illegal Dumping Task Force (�the Task Force�), for the purpose of investigating the causes and effects of illegal dumping in the County,
and the applicable laws and regulations, enforcement, and punishment relating to illegal dumping, and to make recommendations to this Board and the County Mayor to better address and combat illegal dumping; and
WHEREAS, the Task Force issued its Illegal Dumping Task Force Report (�the Report�) on October 1, 2018; and
WHEREAS, at its December 4, 2018 meeting, the Board accepted the Report; and
WHEREAS, in an effort to prevent illegal dumping, the Report recommended, among other things, that additional law enforcement resources be dedicated to combating illegal dumping by serving as a deterrent to potential offenders; and
WHEREAS, the Report more specifically recommended that the Miami-Dade Police Department (�MDPD�) institute a specialized unit to address illegal dumping and environmental crimes; and
WHEREAS, the Report also specifically recommended that, as part of its attempt to address illegal dumping, MDPD utilize existing surveillance cameras throughout the County as part of its Real Time Crime Center; and
WHEREAS, the MDPD Real Time Crime Center coordinates and distributes real-time information to police officers and investigators, as well as enhanced intelligence distribution via radio, Computer-Aided Dispatch, and other means; and
WHEREAS, the Report also specifically recommended that MDPD implement a training program for its officers, in coordination with other departments, to apprise the police officers of laws related to illegal dumping,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:
Section 1. Requests that the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee dedicate additional law enforcement resources from MDPD to combat illegal dumping, such as by either (i) creating a specialized unit to address illegal dumping and environmental crimes or (ii) expanding an existing unit, such as the Agricultural Patrol Bureau, beyond the areas of the County with a large proportion of Agricultural Districts.
Section 2. Requests that the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee utilize existing investigative tools, such as surveillance cameras as well as the MDPD Real Time Crime Center, to more quickly address illegal dumping and apprehend offenders[MJ(1][SD(2].
Section 3. Requests that the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee implement a training program for MDPD officers, in coordination with other County departments, to apprise MDPD police officers of laws related to illegal dumping.
Section 4. Directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to provide a written report, regarding the requests set forth in sections 1, 2 and 3, including the availability of funding, to the Board within 90 [MJ(3][SD(4]days of the effective date of this resolution, which shall be placed on an agenda of the Board pursuant to Ordinance No. 14-65.