Waste Management drivers add eyes and ears to public safety in Elk Grove Village
Elk Grove Village this week joined with Waste Management to launch a program that calls on garbage truck drivers to widen public safety surveillance in the western suburb.
Under the new WasteWatch program, Waste Management's collection drivers will assist local police and emergency services agencies by reporting suspicious activity and emergency situations. They are equipped with radios and mobile phones to communicate with authorities if they see anything suspicious or out of the ordinary.
“Drivers in Waste Management's WasteWatch program are trained to observe and report only, and do not act as law officers or emergency personnel,” said Anthony Farneti, the Company's Midwest Director of Security. “We invite local law enforcement officials to participate in the training so our drivers can know, on a local level, what they should be alert for with regard to issues affecting Elk Grove Village. After completing the training, our drivers know better what to look for and how to communicate any situations to local police and emergency responders.”
Approximately 15 Waste Management drivers and route supervisors are participating in the program. The Company has provided refuse and recycling collection services for the approximately 33,000-resident community for more than 20 years and offers village businesses commercial collection programs. The Company provides residential collection services in Elk Grove Village Monday through Friday.
“The new Waste Management WasteWatch program will expand our public safety services by putting more eyes and ears on the street to support the efforts of our police, fire and emergency officers,” said Mayor Craig Johnson. “This will give us one more tool enabling us to enhance our residents' safety. We welcome our partnership with Waste Management.”
“Waste Management drivers will help protect lives and property in Elk Grove Village by reporting incidents and emergency situations,” said John Gerger, Waste Management District Manager. “Our drivers are on the streets of Elk Grove Village every day and they can recognize situations that are out of the ordinary. They will serve as one more resource in the village. The WasteWatch program is one more thing we can do to give back to a community we serve.”
Local law enforcement officials of various communities across the U.S. have partnered with Waste Management's WasteWatch community safety program and have seen success in helping to keep municipalities across the country safer. Waste Management drivers have assisted local police across the country. A Waste Management driver may stop at as many as 1,000 homes in a day on a residential collection route.
Waste Management's Corporate Security Services and Community Relations organizations developed WasteWatch in 2004 and have seen the program to grow expand to more than 100 communities nationwide. It has trained and certified drivers across North America to keep a watchful eye out to protect their communities. Waste Management has been recognized by the National Sheriff's Association for its WasteWatch program.