>> Tonight Channel 2
investigates illegal dumping
people are leaving trash,
including appliances furniture.
Even dead animals in
neighborhoods all over the
Houston area, the city of
Houston gets thousands of calls
a year dozens of calls every
day from people reporting this
illegal dumping.
>> So who’s responsible for
putting it to a stop.
>> Channel 2 investigator Mario
Diaz is live on Harriman Street
in the 5th Ward tonight.
That’s just one of many
neighborhoods dealing with this
problem right Mario.
>> It is Chris and what’s sad
about this particular situation
is that I was talking to a
neighbor who lives one lot over
from where I stand right now he
says to me because it come down
to the street because the sites
like this right here and the
smell that comes from it
unfortunately this is the
reality for many families in
Houston.
>> Ice or after ice or after I
saw people don’t go far down
piles of eye sores all over the
city paid out within one to 2
mile radius city councilmember
Martha K 6 Tatum has seen it
all tv’s tv’s shopping carts, 7
carts washers and dryers
washers and dryers for decades
illegal dumping has been a
challenge for Houston’s
lower-income communities people
should care because this is
where we live Amy Reed is
executive director for keep
Houston beautiful. We don’t
want to lecture Easton go to
waste the nonprofit works with
the city and council members to
cut down on illegal dumping by
residents and business owners
because trash attracts trash Channel 2 investigates visited
Channel 2 investigates visited
multiple sites at one near
Dogan elementary school we
found of all things a dead dog
dumped in a bag there’s no
excuse for this non tomorrow
Bell is the chairman of public
Safety and Health for the super
neighborhood alliance soldier
live in this community.
>> Why should they not be able
to safely walk around and be
able to play in this community
without something like this
happen and this is a travesty.
>> So who is policing it hpd is
it is difficult because it is
such a prevalent issue in the
city asked sergeant Patrick
MORRISEY of environmental
crimes, what needs to be done
better and he’ll tell you that
hate to say it is we’re doing
the best that we can the
department says it had 360
illegal dumping cases in 2019
to 49 ended up in fines or
charges.
>> Hpd revealed the channel 2
investigates there provided
some residents with the ring
cameras with the hopes of
capturing some of these dumpers
in the act. However, the one
problem with that is that green
cameras usually are set in
place and in no time a person
can be completely out of the
shot.
>> Harris County precinct, one
constable Alan Rosen has an
intricate system of over 130
strategically placed cameras
eyes in the skies over piles in
the city and county how many
cases so far this year 290 how
many of those sent for charges to the da’s office 120 could
to the da’s office 120 could
you make these cases with a
ring camera. You could it would
be difficult councilmember case
ticks Tatum also is going for
the high DEF capture we’ve part
is 5 cameras in the community.
It back up for part is 20 our
part is 20 another solution
that everyone can agree on to
achieve a clean state of mind I
would like to see a stiffer
especially for repeat
offenders, stiffer penalties
overall would would be helpful
to whatever the point as many as it doesn’t fit the crime
as it doesn’t fit the crime
that he does to so many low
income communities.
>> Yes, stiffer penalties or
something we heard over and
over again, but if you can see
right here you can just see all
of these tires that have been
sitting here according to
neighbors, not for weeks but
for months they say they come
by to pick up the trash.
They just don’t pick up the tires. Now on click 2 Houston
tires. Now on click 2 Houston
dot com of the investigate
section go there right now you
can see what a fine cost and
exactly what the penalty is for
some of the various cases of