The next step

http www crimestoppers uk org

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Crimestoppers on the case

Whodunit! Because of the significant impact of environmental crimes, such as polluting water courses, fly-tipping etc., the authorities are pulling out all the stops to catch criminals in the act. However, rather than employing armies of enforcement officers, they’re taking a different approach.

Calling on the public. Regardless of how many enforcement officers are “on patrol”, criminals seem to find ways to evade them, so the authorities are asking the public to report any environmental crimes to the independent charity Crimestoppers (see The next step). They hope that by providing the public with an easy-to-use, anonymous service, they will be happier to make the authorities aware of what’s happening.

So what are the benefits? Apart from stopping piles of waste being dumped in their back yards, financial rewards are being offered to those whose reports lead to one or more people being arrested and charged.

Why this approach? As with all the enforcement authorities, the Environment Agency is having to cope with significant budget cuts whilst continuing to protect the environment whilst bringing those who flout the law to justice. So it’s hardly surprising that it’s resorting to such tactics otherwise many more environmental crimes will go undetected.

How might this affect you? By reporting criminals, you can protect your premises and your local environment.

Tip. This is worth doing because if waste is dumped on your land, for example, you will have to pay to dispose of it legally. If this is hazardous material, the clean-up costs could be significant.

For a link to the Crimestoppers website, visit http://environment.indicator.co.uk (EN 06.06.01).