The Hollister Police Department and the San Benito County
Sheriff’s Office will now be enforcing laws regarding the theft of
recyclable materials from waste carts in an attempt to be
”
responsible to our citizens,
”
a local police sergeant said. Still, Homeless Task Force Shelter
Manager Cindy Parr said most of the people going through the bins
are
”
clean
”
and
”
don’t leave a mess
”
and that prosecuting the homeless for these types of crimes is
putting
”
a burden on the city.
”
HOLLISTER
The Hollister Police Department and the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office will now be enforcing laws regarding the theft of recyclable materials from waste carts in an attempt to be “responsible to our citizens,” a local police sergeant said.
“We are just trying to be responsible to our citizens and keep the (city) clean,” said Sgt. David Westrick, community services director with the Hollister Police Department. “We respond to people calling us all the time.”
While he didn’t have numbers on how many complaints there are weekly, Westrick said the calls are “an as-needed thing” and most are about the mess that the scavengers leave behind. Debate has swirled for years as to whether police should enforce the law, but the onus sits with the waste company once the garbage hits those bins outside.
Still, Homeless Task Force Shelter Manager Cindy Parr said most of the people going through the bins are “clean” and “don’t leave a mess” and that prosecuting the homeless for these types of crimes is putting “a burden on the city.”
“The economy is horrible right now,” she said. “If you prosecute them, you’re wasting money and we don’t have money to be wasting like that.”
Hollister Code Enforcement Officer Mike Chambless said he still gets complaints about people going through recycling bins. Although he said he gets about two per week, which has “tapered down” from up to as many as eight per week in the past.
San Benito County Integrated Waste Manager Mandy Rose has heard about this issue “off and on for years,” and two scenarios commonly arise from it.
Some people put their recycling out in different containers for the homeless to take items if they want. But at the same time, Rose said there are concerns about the homeless going through the trash to find recycling and stumbling upon personal information.
“There many be other concerns with identity theft,” she said.
Rose did add that police have been more “proactive” with those members of the community involved with the theft activities.
California law says that once the bins are placed on the street for pick-up, the materials inside belong to the collection agency, which is Norcal Waste System. The collection agency have been in contact with police and sheriff’s officials and has said the company will cooperate with the prosecution of thefts from recycling bins.
Phil Couchee, general manager of Norcal Waste Systems, which operates the county’s waste disposal, said that there have been discussions on this subject “for quite some time,” with more movement forward in the last month.
For the full story, see the Free Lance on Tuesday.
