Guns and roses - police enforce environmental laws - In the News - Environment - Column

Vegetarian Times, Nov, 1995 by Monique El-Faizy

The boys in blue are going green. Local police units in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Philadelphia have found that training officers to enforce environmental laws has improved community/police relations and fostered cooperation with government agencies. As cities get dirtier and civilian complaints increase, the "green police" may be the wave of the future.

In most cities, if you call the police with a complaint that someone is dumping oil down a sewer, or that a barrel of chemicals has been left in an abandoned lot, the likely response is referral to another agency. Most police forces are too busy or lack the training to deal with environmental violations. But last spring, police officials from the 90th Precinct in Brooklyn announced they would work with the City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the local environmental enforcement agency. In an area fraught with potential offenses, including cases of lead poisoning and more than 30 waste transfer stations, the two agencies agreed that a coordinated effort was needed to cut down on environmental crime.

"There are a lot of quality-of-life complaints out there," says Officer Kay Kurlanchik, who spearheaded the effort. "[The program] turned into something bigger than we thought it would."

To combat environmental crime, about 40 beat officers in the precinct attended seminars to learn how to identify and write summonses for environmental infractions, which range from idling cars to chemicals dumped without authorization. The department's Environmental Control Board handles minor offenses (such as littering); more serious crimes like the burning of toxic waste are prosecuted by the DEP.

"The community is very, very pleased with [the program]," Kurlanchik says. "They see that we're taking an interest in their quality of life."

Police in Philadelphia also have had an environmental task force since 1991. Lt. Neil Lawley, who directs the force, says the environmental effort is successful because it uses the resources of both state and federal agencies, like the U.S. Attorney's office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Environmental Protection Agency. "This has been a home run for the city. [In the past] members of the public didn't know where to turn. "

According to Lawley, Philadelphia police work in much the same way as their Brooklyn counterpart. Last year, the city had more than 7,000 environmental complaints; this year's figure is expected to be much higher, because citizens finally know where to get satisfaction.