TRAINING
Down with dumping
Railroads are much more than meets the eye.
Often, they are some of the largest real estate
holders in your communities, encompassing rail
yards, bridges, tunnels and buildings as well as
lots and parcels of land.
Today, with rising costs of trash removal and
carting, railroads are often the target of massive
THOMAS J. illegal dumping culprits. These criminals don’t
care how it affects your community. Many times,
JEDIC
they discard items that the regular sanitation ser-
vices won’t handle — things like asbestos, oils and other flu-
ids, lubricants and used tires. Unscrupulous contractors often
dump the entire contents of a renovation on or near the tracks.
The railroads are easy targets, as the areas are often out of sight
and in desolate areas. Criminals will use the cover of darkness
or even their trucks and equipment to appear to be affiliated
with the railroad.
So how do we in law enforcement combat this? It’s simple: in
New Jersey, there are specific laws that address illegal dump-
ing on railroad property. Trespassing and other statutes apply
as well and can give you and your prosecutor the leverage you
need when signing complaints.
Even though a railroad is private property, you have complete
jurisdiction when investigating criminal acts there. For exam-
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NEW JERSEY COPS
■ OCTOBER 2018
ple, Norfolk Southern Railroad Police have teamed up with the
Illegal Dumping Task Force of the Newark Police Department.
They assist one another as a joint team and have had great suc-
cess in apprehending and prosecuting illegal dumpers.
The effort is well worth the time. NSPD does not benefit fi-
nancially from the fines — the municipality does. The railroad
will also be reimbursed for cleanup costs, with the courts often
tripling the amount that the statute allows.
Your vigilance and enforcement will also help prevent tres-
passing and criminal mischief, and you may very well stop an
act of terrorism targeting mass transit. So keep in mind how
many tools you have to fight illegal dumping: keeping your
community clean; establishing partnerships with the rail-
road(s) and their police forces in your jurisdiction; and sending
a strong message to those who think they can get away with it
to think again.
For any assistance or information, never hesitate to reach
out to me. If I can’t answer your question, I will find the person
who can. d
Special Agent Thomas Jedic is a member of Norfolk Southern
Railroad Police Special Operations Response Team (SORT) and
an executive board member of NJ Operation Lifesaver.