Dumpers fined, but penalties rarely paid 

A June Alameda County Civil Grand Jury report found that Oakland collects about 20 million pounds of illegally dumped waste annually, about 47 pounds per resident.

In the January OPW Asset Management Report for EEU, officers logged 63 work orders and issued 26 illegal dumping citations, nine of which were from a camera. The January report recorded 26 illegal dumping citations issued and just one citation payment. 

“The burden of evidence is pretty high to catch som

ebody. We saw people illegally dumping and reported it to the police and nothing happened,,          City Auditor Michael Houston

The audit found 73% of citations received no response, meaning no payment, appeal, or request for community service.

“The burden of evidence is pretty high to catch somebody,” City Auditor Michael Houston said in an interview. “An example in our audit report is we saw people illegally dumping and reported it to the police and nothing happened.”