The FBI's New Mobile Surveillance Teams

Trash Collectors To Serve As Eyes and Ears In The Street For Police

WNYT-TV
Updated 12/16/2010 5:45:36 PM ET
Courtesy Of "MSNBC"

Waste Management workers are out and about when almost everyone else is not. Except someone who might be up to no good.

A former FBI agent recently trained all Waste Management drivers, helpers and technicians in Rensselaer and Albany Counties to act as a mobile community watch.

"They're on these routes every day so they're used to the normal situation so they are able to recognize a non-normal situation," explains Ken Bevis of Waste Management. Trucks are now armed with a cell phone, camera and incident reports so they'll have accurate information for police and, possibly, prosecutors.

"The drivers understand their main job is to observe and report and let authorities do their job," explains Bevis.

The extra set of eyes and ears in the street is appreciated because even cops know they can't be everywhere, all the time.

"The old adage is 'where's a cop when you you need one?' Now it will be where's a cop or DGS or Waste Management when you need one," says Albany Police Chief Steve Krokoff.

"Waste Watch" is free to municipalities and the Capital Region is the first area in New York state to benefit from the program.