FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 30, 2000
DEP Announces Environmental Crime
Initiative
--Citizens asked to join public and private
agencies in targeting major criminals--
St. Petersburg - Department of
Environmental Protection Secretary David B. Struhs today
announced a comprehensive and cooperative effort designed to
identify and prosecute major environmental criminals. The
Environmental Crimes Strike Force will be headed by
DEP’s Division of Law Enforcement and will work in
cooperation with other state and federal entities from the
investigatory process through the arrest and prosecution.
While the Division of Law Enforcement has
dramatically increased its enforcement efforts during the
past year, it is understood that law enforcement cannot
possibly be aware of all ongoing criminal activity within the
state. As a result, Secretary Struhs unveiled the
Environmental Crimes Hot Line. The purpose of the Hot Line is
to give citizens the opportunity to report crimes that can
severely impact the environment or public health. Citizens
can offer tips to environmental investigators by calling
toll-free:
1-877-2 SAVE FL or (1-877-272-8335)
Phones will be attended 24-hours a day,
with tips immediately directed to DEP’s Division of Law
Enforcement for follow-up.
"Neighborhoods have become safer
through citizen involvement with local law enforcement,"
said Struhs. "Our goal is to make Floridians, and our
environment, even safer through their involvement with
environmental law enforcement. While we want everyone to obey
anti-littering and other environmental laws, the
Environmental Crimes Strike Force’s mission is to target
those who would severely threaten the environment or public
health for financial gain. To do that, we need more eyes and
ears to recognize, record and report major environmental
crime. This effort is not targeting inadvertent violations of
permit conditions, but real criminals."
Struhs also announced a public awareness
campaign designed to inform the public of the dangers of such
crimes, how to recognize when these crimes are occurring, and
where to call to report such activity. The initial phase of
the effort consists of radio public service announcements and
information pamphlets.
"Most businesses are willing to
comply with environmental regulations," said Struhs,
" but there are many bad actors among us who would
profit at the expense of others -- namely the Florida public.
They must be apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent
allowed by law."
Struhs also announced that Tom Tramel,
DEP’s Director of the Division of Law Enforcement, will
lead the force. Tramel previously served as sheriff of
Columbia County for 12 years, was president of the Florida
Sheriffs' Association in 1993-94, and headed the Florida
Sheriffs' Statewide Task Force. Director Tramel has also
directed numerous inter-jurisdictional law enforcement
efforts around the state. One of those efforts included
"Operation Thunder Road," which resulted in over
4,000 arrests and $6.5 million in seizures. The largest
cooperative multiagency statewide law enforcement effort in
the nation, it involved over 101 local, state, and federal
agencies.
"Thanks to the leadership and
foresight shown by Secretary Struhs, I have been free to
vigorously pursue the organization of this strike force,
which has been one of my top priorities," said Tramel.
"The Division of Law Enforcement looks forward to
working with our counterparts on the local, state, and
federal levels, and together we will seek out and bring down
the Al Capone's of environmental crime in Florida. The
establishment of the Environmental Crimes Strike Force is the
beginning of the end for those who willfully and wantonly
insist upon criminally polluting and degrading Florida's
pristine environment and endangering its citizens."
"We have said many times over the
past 18 months that ‘compliance counts’," said Struhs. "In conjunction with our partners, DEP wishes to
stress that ‘compliance counts’ now more than ever
before."
-30-
2012 State of Florida