Will the police do anything if I report illegal dumping?

Submitted by DlnnerTable t3_11jym8f in philadelphia

I occasionally see cars pulled over the side of the road tossing a load of trash out through their door or window. It’s always bothered me but I never know what to do in those scenarios. The City of Philly website says if I see illegal dumping in action I should call 911 to report it. That sounds like a poor use of resources, but it recommends calling the non emergency 311 (or filling out a form online) for illegal dumping after the fact. The site says “a violation may be issued if appropriate and the dumper can be identified.” Am I wasting my time here or should I go ahead and report the vehicles tossing trash on the side of the road?

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hockeystuff77 t1_jb4vgld wrote

I’d say try it once and see what happens. Take a pic of it happening, note the license plate, draw a penis on it, and tell 311

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Pugslysparks t1_jb5hiam wrote

The city won't touch anything that doesn't have a penis on it.

Good call

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smbiggy t1_jb66s6b wrote

Just for sake of clarity the penis gets drawn on the “dump” right? I don’t OP running through the streets of north Philly trying to paint a dick on someone’s license plate.

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Brraaap t1_jb4w5ww wrote

All police dispatching in Philly is done through 911, 311 is for getting other city services

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Vexithan t1_jb4x9oi wrote

Yup! Start with “this is not an emergency call” so they can prioritize it.

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DlnnerTable OP t1_jb4ycir wrote

Good to know! They should make that more clear where 311 is written on the website. Everywhere it’s just listed as the non emergency version of 911

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enn_sixty_four t1_jb4z6cd wrote

"will the police do anything" let's stop right there. No. No they will not.

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ChooseYourStruggle t1_jb4xb29 wrote

They will not. However, I talked to a guy who works for the city because we had someone dump some shit in front of our house. He said you have to keep calling. Obviously won't do anything for the people dumping but to get it cleaned up, you have to harass them. Worked for us. Took 3 weeks of calling every 2 or 3 days and they finally came and got it.

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DlnnerTable OP t1_jb4yhdz wrote

Thanks for the info. Fortunately I don’t have issues near my house.. just the side of the road on my way to work! Glad they finally got your area cleaned up!

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Raecino t1_jb57x85 wrote

Yeah had to bug them for several days to clean up my block which was covered in trash AFTER the trash men came threw and seemingly tossed ripped trash bags around without caring about the mess they were making.

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omgahya t1_jb5cjwa wrote

Not really wasting time, you will definitely save yourself(or the property owner) a citation. If you remember the vehicle/plate, definitely report that also.

My cousin got a citation because some idiot dragged a bag of dirt/gravel and left it in front of her house. Instead of following the dirt trail around the corner to the house that was being demo’ed, City employee just decided it’s easier to ticket her instead.

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DlnnerTable OP t1_jb5imbx wrote

Damn that sucks for your cousin. I hope he fought it and got it all figured out. Do you still think it’s worth reporting if it’s on public/city property? Just yesterday around Gerard and 40th I saw somebody open their car door and kick out half a trash can worth of garbage right into the middle of the road. I was stunned lol

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Fourlec t1_jb5334i wrote

Illegal dumping and littering are kind of different in my eyes. Illegal dumping is when a contractor dumps construction debris. Littering is when Joe Shmo throws a bag of chips on the ground. In my experience with illegal dumping, the cops did nothing. My neighbor and I had to take care of it ourselves .

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DlnnerTable OP t1_jb54rt0 wrote

Hmm I never knew the difference. So you’re saying they won’t do anything for either illegal dumping or littering?

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Fourlec t1_jb551lj wrote

Highly likely they won’t help you.

Your best bet is to just pick up the trash after they litter. Unless you want to confront them but in my experience that also can either go well or very poorly.

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hockeystuff77 t1_jb55une wrote

Just to piggyback on this, getting shot over littering will not cause the police to come any faster.

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Raecino t1_jb587rh wrote

Yeah don’t confront a random stranger over littering.

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DlnnerTable OP t1_jb5auc8 wrote

You’re probably right. I was hoping someone would have good news for me but oh well. And yeah I most certainly would never confront someone littering. Sounds like a recipe for getting shot

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javatrees07 t1_jb5mzkx wrote

I used to run through Manayunk and up into Miquon for training. Manor road was my hill workout. Once a week I would fins a small white pickup truck dumping tires into the woods. I finally memorized the license plate - then waited near the area in my car one day. Sure enough - tire dumper appeared. I took pictures of his activity then followed him to a Roxborough gas station. I showed the owner the video. That put a stop to that. Although I imagine they just found another dumping ground.

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mexheavymetal t1_jb5hsr5 wrote

If the question starts with “Will Philly police do…” the answer is no. These people are just wasting our tax dollars while the city drowns in violence while they do nothing.

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ShanaAfterAll t1_jb54h8b wrote

I believe that this is covered in the story of Alice's Restaurant.

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BRMR_TM t1_jb5ni52 wrote

Currently, I’m not sure they care but let me tell you a story. Around 2009 I had a lease up in south Philly(15th and Tasker). One of my roommates who was a shitbag had a ton of personal stuff(mostly useless garbage he was saving for some reason) in the back part of our basement which I lived in. We helped him bag it up before we moved out and clean the house out in general. He and my other roommate decided the best way to get rid of it was go find an empty lot and dump it along with a couch no one wanted.

Well there must have been a piece of my mail somewhere in the garbage from my parents house back in Jersey and I got mailed a ticket for illegal dumping. Naturally the roommates told me to kick rocks because they “took care” of all the houses trash.

That roommate years later met a girl and got married, said girl was left 8 million by an elderly man she was a caretaker for and they balled out. Dude got divorced by her after about 2 years and is now said and miserable and deserves it for a number of shitty things he did while living in that house.

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JohnDerek57 t1_jb6u5q3 wrote

Considering my Apartments parking lot had 8 car windows busted out last night and they never showed up I’m going to assume no.

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SonnyBlackandRed t1_jb602z8 wrote

I say call local police district, report it and get the police report case #. Maybe let it sit for a few weeks, see if anything happens. When nothing happens, go to your local congress person's site and submit something about it with the police report case #. Then see what happens from there.

Edit: grammar

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DlnnerTable OP t1_jb60pwc wrote

I guess it might be better than nothing. Thanks!

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SonnyBlackandRed t1_jb6g167 wrote

Also, by doing all of that gives you, at the very least, a paper trail. When someone tries deny that it was reported or anything you have something to show.

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_mynameisclarence t1_jb565dk wrote

Lol are you new here?

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DlnnerTable OP t1_jb5amnp wrote

I’m just trying to keep the city clean. Idk about you but I dislike walking through streets and sidewalks with garbage blowing around

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_mynameisclarence t1_jb5bf71 wrote

My comment came off dickish at you & that wasn’t the intention. My comment came from what is likely mutual dissatisfaction with the way this city is ran & responsiveness to taxpayer concerns / quality of life issues. Apologies.

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DlnnerTable OP t1_jb5i4mx wrote

All good. No worries. I’m sure we’re all in the same boat with our feelings towards how the city is run

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themightychris t1_jb5c74s wrote

I like this one: https://www.amazon.com/EZPIK-Extra-Long-Grabber-Reacher-Picker-Upper-Pickup-Stick/dp/B07WVP7QWM

Plus a nice big orange Home Depot bucket is a good kit. Take walks around your block with them while you're on calls

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DlnnerTable OP t1_jb5is9s wrote

Good for you for helping out. I don’t dare touch the trash I see on the streets in fear of what’s on it but this would solve that problem. Thanks!

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FishtownYo t1_jb7h6ta wrote

I got a few of the cheap versions at Harbor Freight for 3 or 4 bucks, amazingly enough after two years I’m still using the first one, but these things are great. People probably think I’m working off community service or something…

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xphizio t1_jb610bl wrote

Yes if there's probable cause such as video of the offense. Anybody can write down a license plate and say "tHiS cAr dUmPeD." Witness testimony isn't enough by itself.

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Capkirk0923 t1_jb6dc5j wrote

No. I reported a drug dealer who sits in front of my place 12 hours a day for months and they never showed up.

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UncleRico95 t1_jb6wldq wrote

police barley lift their dick up to take a piss

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Astrostuffman t1_jb7ijfn wrote

Is it in Chestnut Hill, then yes. Otherwise, unlikely.

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AbsentEmpire t1_jb61i25 wrote

You'd have better luck reporting it along with a picture of the vehicle preferably with plate, to 311 for illegal dumping. You can report online at the website or using the 311 app.

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Pingpaul t1_jb8amkf wrote

I would call a ton and if it’s a big problem call multiple times a day

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sidewaysorange t1_jbaks6t wrote

philly's response is that they will just come clean it up on tax payer dime but never do anything to prevent it. constant dumping under 95 and they come once a week to clean it out. would they ever think to patrol there? or use cameras to fine people. nah. too easy.

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Crackrock9 t1_jb73hvz wrote

Ok so from what I’ve read from the initial thread and your comments, you are talking about ‘littering’ not ‘illegal dumping.’ Nobody’s gonna do jack shit cause some guy threw out a plastic bag of trash out the car. If it bothers you, clean it up. ‘Illegal dumping’ involves people leaving trash bags, couches, rugs, furniture, construction waste, tires exc. Stuff like that can be taken more serious, the cops might get involved if you do the leg work/have proof, catch them in the act. Someone will probably come to clean it up. But if you think somebody’s coming out to sweep some litter of your street….lmaoo

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