Seeking to revive the city’s dormant Illegal Dumping Reward Program, the Los Angeles City Council voted to establish a tiered reward system for information regarding illegal dumping violations. Illegal dumping of trash and hazardous items in the city’s public areas increased 450% between 2016 and 2020, according to a report released last year by Controller Ron Galperin.
The council requested the city attorney prepare an ordinance that would provide up to at least a $100 reward if information regarding illegal dumping leads to a misdemeanor or felony conviction. The exact reward — capped at $1,000 — would vary depending on how much money the city collects as a result of the enforcement action. The reward amount would drop to at least $50 — with a cap of $500 — for an infraction citation leading to a conviction, and $25 for an enforcement action resulting in an uncontested conviction.
There would be no reward offered if there is insufficient evidence to proceed with an enforcement action or the enforcement action is unsuccessful. The Illegal Dumping Reward Program, established in 2002, offered up to a $1,000 reward for information leading to a conviction. But the program has been inactive for over a decade, according to LA Sanitation.