Oakland doubling fines to $5,000, deploying drones as it cracks down on illegal dumping

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- The city of Oakland is frustrated with illegal dumping and is trying out some new solutions. This includes doubling fines and sending out drones, hoping to keep the streets clean.

In Noel Gallo's neighborhood, illegally dumped trash is everywhere.

"About 25,000 calls that we received this year," he said.

The longtime Oakland city councilmember says, while illegal dumping has always been a problem, it's now a crisis.

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"The reality is that we need to enforce the law," Gallo said.

And enforcing the law is exactly what the Oakland city council intends to do. On Tuesday, the board voted unanimously to double the fine for illegal dumping to $5,000.

For the first time, those fines will be attached to the license plates of cars caught in the act.

Ricardo Vindiola works for the city and says this is long overdue.

"The same people throw away the garbage every day. Same people. And, you know, I have a lot of frustration," he said.

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You hear that frustration a lot in Oakland.

"Whenever I walk, I always see trash everywhere," said Daniela Morales.

Morales has lived in The Town for 15 years. She knows there are problems here, but it's still home.

For her, illegal dumping isn't just about the trash that's scattered on city streets. It's about taking pride in where you live.

"Whenever we're driving, we have to swerve in order not to damage our cars, and it's really sad," Morales said.

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In addition to the new $5,000 fine, the city council also took the first step in approving a new pilot program. It will use AI drone technology to track illegal dumping sites in real time.

It is restoring that lost sense of pride, Gallo says, one street at a time.

"If I catch you with illegal dumping, we will cite you. We will arrest you. And you will have to pay a heavy fine," Gallo said.

Every day, the city picks up 6,000 pounds of illegally dumped items.