Environmental Neighborhood Policing: Officer Safety, Environmental Crime, and Working with the Community by Boston Police District E-18, Police Officer Stephen Vermette (617)343-4991 INTRODUCTION I.
Environmental Neighborhood Policing Police departments are responsible for the safety and well-being of the communities they
serve as well as the deterrence of crime within them. As such they have the ability and the obligation to protect public safety and health from environmental hazards and violators. Police departments can significantly impact environmental crime within their jurisdictions. Particularly with the advent of neighborhood policing, police officers are interacting with their communities more and more. This interaction with the community provides the police officer with valuable information, while at the same time builds relationships that assist the officer in staying accountable to the needs of that community.
Neighborhood policing encourages police officers to work with community residents, business leaders, schools, and others to identify quality of life concerns and implement creative problem-solving solutions. As is the case with environmental neighborhood policing. Together, police and residents can identify health and safety hazards within their neighborhoods. Once identified, appropriate action can be taken -- assisting local businesses come into compliance, referral to regulatory agencies for sanctioning, or in egregious cases investigation and criminal prosecution.
Funding for this publication made possible by a Toxics Use Reduction Networking grant, University of Massachusetts at Lowell’s Toxics Use Reduction Institute.
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II. Health & Safety Hazards Health and safety hazards come in many forms. Hazardous material can be something as commonplace as spilled oil or gasoline, or asbestos in old buildings. One of the most common incidents/ offenses in this area is found in illegal auto body shops, which are usually small hazardous waste generators. The oils and solvents they produce as well as the toxic residue from spraying cars creates very serious problems, particularly since most of these shops are in residential areas.
For example, one such illegal auto body shop sparked interest in environmental enforcement in Boston Police District E-18. A young pregnant mother lived next door to one of these shops and complained of fumes. After a comprehensive investigation police discovered that the residue from the shop’s deframing of old motor vehicles was full of lead. As a result of this lead contamination she became very sick, so sick she nearly lost her baby. The police involvement literally saved a life in this case, mostly because of their willingness to go the extra mile.
Other hazards are less common but even more dangerous, especially to police themselves. Many university research facilities, hospitals, printing companies, and even film development shops contain toxics that can be lethal to the untrained emergency responder. Hazardous materials are present in nearly every work environment and in most homes. Improper storage, transportation and/or disposal of hazardous materials poses a very real threat to human health and the environment.
III. Health & Safety Risks Funding for this publication made possible by a Toxics Use Reduction Networking grant, University of Massachusetts at Lowell’s Toxics Use Reduction Institute.
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Exposure to hazardous materials can cause serious injury, chronic illness, and even death. Police officers can be exposed through their action and inaction.
Responding to emergency
situations can place the officer at immediate risk. Direct exposure can be through the skin, inhalation, or ingestion of a chemical. The officer may or may not even realize that he/she has been exposed due to the nature of the exposure.
Officers can also be affected, along with the general public, through chronic exposure in their environment. This is often the case with airborne toxics, contaminated soil and water supplies. Businesses and/or factories located in your district may be releasing toxics (intentionally or accidentally) into your environment right now. By being proactive in this area of environmental neighborhood policing, we can work with the community, businesses, regulatory agencies, and other criminal justice agencies to intervene when appropriate, preventing further risk and creating better neighborhoods.
IV. Preventive Measures There are several preventive steps that can be taken to protect police officers and city residents. Working together we can make an impact on health and safety, as well as the quality of life in our neighborhoods. Problems must be identified and solutions sought. Partnership is also important. There is a multitude of local, state, and federal agencies and organizations that have resources, information and expertise in this area. Through cooperation with them, we’ve identified the following preventive measures:
Funding for this publication made possible by a Toxics Use Reduction Networking grant, University of Massachusetts at Lowell’s Toxics Use Reduction Institute.
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Identifying the facilities and transportation routes where hazardous and toxic chemicals are present. Timely information is crucial in a crisis. This information must be easily accessible to all police officers, so further steps must be taken locally to map hazards.
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Establish emergency response plans for the police as first responders. This information should also be shared with community representatives when appropriate. Contact the Boston Local Emergency Planning Committee for more information on this.
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Appeal to community needs and long term interests when asking for assistance and cooperation. Residents should be advised that they are not only protecting their health, but their finances as well. Toxic chemicals and hazardous substances that become airborne in the form of dust, smoke, or vapors can migrate in the air, in sub-surface public utilities and in the ground to homes, buildings and public areas. Property which has been contaminated is extremely difficult to sell or utilize, and the cost of remedial actions in some instances are astronomical.
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Take advantage of existing resources. •
Right to Know Law: Police and community residents have a right to know what companies release any of 320 chemicals into the air, water, or soil. This list of 320 contains many chemicals that pose long term health and environmental hazards such as cancer. Communities can petition the Environmental Protection to add or delete chemicals from this list on a yearly basis. Community members can also petition to change the list of extremely hazardous substances used for
Funding for this publication made possible by a Toxics Use Reduction Networking grant, University of Massachusetts at Lowell’s Toxics Use Reduction Institute.
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emergency planning and accidental notification. (More information on this law is contained later in this booklet.) •
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA): This agency regulates working standards for employees.
They protect workers and
municipal employees such as police officers and fire fighters, and can help police investigate work place violations. •
Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA): This Act of Congress contains regulations dealing with transportation methods.
Certified police
officers can use this act to stop and inspect vehicles that transport hazardous waste. Toxic material and/or hazardous waste must be properly tracked from the generator to the disposal facility. This involves a paper trail, or manifest, in which the chain of custody must be strictly documented.
The trained officer
can use these tools for inspections and investigations.
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Conclusion Police departments around the country are recognizing a need to become more
comprehensive and preventive in their efforts to ensure public safety. A key component of any new community based policing effort should be attention to environmental hazards. These hazards are not simply a public health problem, but also a serious crime issue. Police are uniquely positioned to identify these problems and seek innovative solutions. Their efforts will result in saved lives, healthier communities and enhanced relationships with the communities they serve.
Funding for this publication made possible by a Toxics Use Reduction Networking grant, University of Massachusetts at Lowell’s Toxics Use Reduction Institute.
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Please call Police Officer Stephen Vermette -- (617) 343-4991 -- for more assistance in getting these efforts started in your district or jurisdiction.
Funding for this publication made possible by a Toxics Use Reduction Networking grant, University of Massachusetts at Lowell’s Toxics Use Reduction Institute.
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