[Editor’s Note: So since the time of this story’s writing last night, another story broke about a baby being found dead in a dumpster. Certainly a sad story, and one we may cover in a separate post. However, if you feel yourself getting pissy on this story simply because the word “dumpster” is a common thread, take a deep breath and read our story, slowly, so it sinks in, past the crazy parts of your brain. The post below uses St. Louis’ focus on random trash dumping to illustrate it’s lack of focus on violent crime where the real problem is…I wish we could think of an example of violent crime we need to stop…oh yeah, how about a freaking baby being found in a dumpster! This morning’s news is sad and odd in the way it lines up with my example here, but if anything, it strengthens my point. Feel free to hate it/us if you’d like to still remain crazy though.]
You can say a lot of things about St. Louis: they’re incompetent when it comes to crime, the school system sucks so bad kindergarteners are starting to say “You know what? I’m good. I’ll just have a stray cat take me under it’s wing instead.” And the population is dropping faster than Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Q factor. However, you can’t say that St. Louis isn’t tough on illegal trash dumping. This is a menace that must be stopped!…probably. We feel like we should be high on this because the city is clearly focused on it, so we feel like it’s a big deal…are we missing something? Freaking trash dumping?! We’re worried about illegal trash dumping?
People caught red handed dumping trash illegally in St. Louis. They’re taking their trash behind homes and just leaving it. News 4 first told you about this last month and this time, News 4’s Lindsay Bramson was there when when police swooped in.
Oh god! Lindsay don’t take on these dangerous assignments! You know how your mother and I worry!
In the last 4 months, 75 hidden cameras have caught hundreds of people trashing the city of St. Louis.
What?! 75?! 75 cameras and they’re all pointed at stupid dumpsters? Oh by the way, this seven year old girl was shot in the head, how many cameras were pointed at the playground?
Sgt. Ron Hasty with the St. Louis Police Department says “these are the type of people that are out here riding around dumping in our neighborhoods and they’re not even properly licensed.”
No license?! Wow that does sound serious. You are so busted you piece of crap dumping scumbags! You are so gonna be in deep for this now! Oh man, it is on! We caught you and you are going to get it! …ok, so if you just wanna sign here and then go pay your fine at the window, I think we’re square.
“It makes you feel sick inside” says one south city woman who has trash dumped behind her home constantly.
A seven year-old girl got shot in the freaking head and a 71-year-old man was beaten severely, robbed and has now died, but yeah, no one likes to walk by a stinky full dumpster. Totally makes us sick too.
Ok, yes, we realize this is a problem and one that should certainly be on the list of things to fix around here, but is it really something that generates this kind of bile with all the other issues this city has? Having cops patrol your neighborhood to watch for guys throwing crap away in your city-owned dumpster is a problem. But it sounds pretty good compared to not feeling safe when you walk down the street, or having to spend your whole dinner downtown wondering if your car will be there when you get back. Maybe spend some money on cameras making sure people don’t end up in the dumpster and we’ll worry about old tires after that.
via KMOV