Like most cities, the City of Bellflower has had a long time issue with individuals going through our resident's trash bins. Working with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, we have been deploying deputies to specifically cite individuals who steal from residential bins (54 citations issued in one month). While we have seen a recent decline, we realize that the problem persists for many of our residents. In an effort to deter this undesirable behavior, Bellflower City Council authorized a $1000 administrative penalty be imposed to violators. We realize that collecting this sum will be challenging, but the Council wanted to make a statement that we take this violation very seriously. We also are working with CR&R to look into alternative ways of notifying potential offenders. For instance, the idea of sending out decals with the fine amount to be attached to resident's trash bins is being discussed. As residents of our city, what do you think of this plan, and what other actions do you think should be taken?
