Litterbugs to help cover policing costs for townships

Apr 01, 2015

The OPP has come up with a way to deal with two major problems in Frontenac County: excessive littering at the side of roads, and the cost of policing.

And they plan to use modern fingerprinting technology to do it.

Sgt. Frank Hardy, formerly of the Sharbot Lake detachment has teamed up with his brother, Constable Joe Hardy of the Kaladar detachment on a new initiative. As Frank explained it, they have a list of volunteers who will collect litter discarded along local roads. Each item is put in a zip lock bag with the location, date and time on it. Joe has trained a team of volunteers to scan the items for fingerprints, which are then run through a data base to identify the offenders.

“It’s not like the old days with all that dusting for fingerprints” Joe explained. “You simply scan it with an ultra-violet scanner that automatically reads and stores the print. The print is then quickly and easily compared to all the prints on file.”

And, Frank said, “you would be amazed at whose fingerprints are on file. Anyone who has ever worked at a secure government facility like an airport, anyone who has ever had a criminal record check performed, anyone who has ever been bonded, not to mention anyone who has ever been fingerprinted by police in connection with a crime. We even have prints from school groups that have toured a station. And with new freedom to investigate we can even gather prints from public locations if we suspect someone might be a litterbug.”

Under the new OPP service contract and funding model, the litterbug project is considered a “discretionary monetary enhancement service” which means that all the money raised by the fines will go directly towards offsetting policing costs in the township where the offence leading to the fine has been committed.

“Volunteer groups who go around in the springtime and pick up garbage by the side of the road have always been encouraged by local councils, but now by adding the step of bagging items they will also be bringing bucket loads of cash into the municipal coffers.” said Hardy.

The Province of Ontario has set out the schedule of fines under the Ontario Littering Act (2013). A first time offence will carry a mandatory $75 fine unless it’s an alcoholic beverage container, in which case the fine jumps to $250. In order for fines to be levied a complete fingerprint is required, but Joe Hardy said that there is a wide range of materials that are classed as 'super adherers' as far as fingerprints are concerned.

“Everything from water bottles, pop cans and beer cans to plastic food wraps, candy wrappers and even coffee cups. The heat actually helps imprint the fingerprint,” he said.

With policing cost increases being held accountable for 50% of the budget increase in both Central and North Frontenac and Addington Highlands in 2015, the townships have been enthusiastic in their support of the project.

“One member of Council said something about the right to privacy at the Addington Highlands Council, but they were shouted down, “ said Frank Hardy.

The project is getting underway as a pilot this spring in the three townships, and it was discussed by South Frontenac Council at their April 1st meeting, and deferred to a meeting of the Committee of the Whole, when the Commander of the Frontenac Detachment will be on hand to answer questions.