Milwaukee illegal dumping; city leaders unveil plans to help curb issue

MILWAUKEE - Milwaukee leaders on Monday, May 4, announced new plans to help stop illegal dumping in the city. 

Illegal dumping

What we know:

Mayor Cavalier Johnson and the Department of Neighborhood Services announced the expansion of a citywide program that uses hidden cameras in the monitoring of illegal dumping.

After one year of trial in this pilot program, the city announced a grant program that will provide cameras to neighborhood groups for the specific use of catching illegal dumping.

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The expanded effort will also involve community groups. The Department of Neighborhood Services is encouraging neighborhood organizations to participate, offering grant money to help purchase cameras. Groups could receive up to $1,000 if their footage leads to a prosecution.

Officials say they are working with the Department of City Development, contractors and neighborhood groups to identify problem areas, but they are not disclosing camera locations.

Helping neighborhoods

What they're saying:

"Today, I'm excited to announce that the next step in our camera program will provide established neighborhood agencies with grant dollars to acquire cameras," said Jezamil Arroyo-Vega, Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services Commissioner. "This new DNS program will provide each neighborhood group that successfully apply up to $5,000 to acquire recommended camera packages for deployment in the neighborhoods they serve."

Department of Neighborhood Services commissioner Jezamil Arroyo-Vega said their goal is to place 100 more cameras in the areas most frequently hit by illegal dumping before the end of the year. 

"It is a choice to illegally dump in neighborhoods across Milwaukee," said Mayor Johnson. "I want to reiterate that that crime, as I've said before, is a crime of laziness, and it's a crime of greed that happens in neighborhoods across Milwaukee. The crime cost the city literally hundreds of thousands of dollars each and every single year. It steals city resources, and it causes unnecessary blight in neighborhoods across Milwaukee."

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Johnson is also urging residents to report illegal dumping when they see it.

"Consider this your last warning. It is your last warning. Do the right thing, do it properly, and dispose of your trash the right way," Johnson said. "When we catch you, and we will catch you; we will catch you, that when we do catch you, you will receive the maximum citation that we have at our disposal which is $5,000."

What you can do:

Anyone can report illegal dumping here. 

Trash piling up

Dig deeper:

Illegal dumping continues to impact areas across Milwaukee. One of those areas is the Beerline Trail, a popular corridor for bikers and walkers that residents say has also become a dumping ground.

"It’s the perfect place to dump stuff," said Tim Krause, a Milwaukee resident. "Bits of metal, brick, concrete — all stuff that’s hard to clean up when it is in a pile."

Another resident, Michael Trokan, said he recently spotted illegal dumping along the trail and reported it.

"A couch and some tires that were dumped in one area behind an alley," Trokan said.

Trokan said he hopes more people report dumping and believes increased activity could help deter it.

"I think the more people you get out biking and using the trails and getting out in the city – the better that will be. More eyes on the trails and street," Trokan said.

Expansion concerns

What they're saying:

The concern comes as Milwaukee and Milwaukee County plan to expand the Beerline Trail northwest from Capitol Drive to connect to the 20th Street Powerline Trail. The 1.8-mile extension will combine off-street trail segments with protected bike lanes.

Some residents worry the expansion could worsen dumping issues if not properly monitored.

"Illegal dumping is already a huge problem in this area. And you build a trail… no lighting, no one watching," Krause said.

City officials say the opposite could happen.

The Department of Public Works says increased connectivity will bring more people to the area, which could discourage illegal activity. Officials say improvements, including barriers installed along the 20th Street Powerline Trail, are meant to prevent vehicles from accessing the path.

"We really hope that making these trails more connected will give more people more reasons to be out there and more eyes on the trail as well," said Zac Roder, a senior transportation planner with the department.

The design team is still collecting public feedback on the Beerline Trail expansion project.

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