You’ve seen the signs. You know the message. Illegal dumping is prohibited and violators face a stiff penalty. To many people’s surprise, those signs aren’t just idle threats. Since 1993, Metro’s RID Patrol has been cracking down on people who dump old tires, household electronics and other trash on public lands and waterways.
The RID Patrol is a Metro program operated in cooperation with the Tigard Police Department, the Portland Police Bureau and the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.
The City of Portland gave the program a Portland Mayor Sam Adams’ Partners in Safety award during the Mayor’s annual Safety Recognition Day on Feb. 9. The Partners in Safety award is granted to a program involving two or more organizations to address a specific safety concern. This is the first time the RID Patrol has been recognized with such an award.
Residents or local agencies usually report illegal dump sites to Metro, which assesses them and, if there is sufficient evidence, may use the investigative help of a Tigard police officer assigned to RID Patrol to catch the perpetrators. If the dump sites are on public property, inmate crews from Multnomah County’s Inverness Jail may be dispatched to remove the debris and properly dispose of it. Citations for illegal dumping range from $150 to $500 plus the actual cost to clean up the mess and haul it to one of the region’s transfer stations.
The multi-jurisdictional effort has helped curb illegal dumping in the metro area. Despite the RID Patrol’s success, illegal dumping remains a problem throughout the region. In 2010 alone, RID cleaned up more than 3,200 dump sites, about two-thirds of which contained bulky items such as sofas and refrigerators.
"People dumping their trash in the woods or other places threatens clean water, ruins our natural areas and often endangers public health," said Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder. "As long as people are irresponsible and uncaring, enforcement is necessary to preserve our natural areas and keep this a great place to live."
Community participation has been crucial to the RID Patrol’s success; in 2009, Metro received several hundred reports of illegal dumping sites from community members in addition to the almost 300 reports from local governments and police agencies. The public can report illegal dump sites by calling 503-234-3000 or they can submit reports online through Metro’s website. Although RID Patrol only cleans dump sites on public property, Metro can help private property owners investigate dumping on their land as well.