Local law enforcement and emergency officials continue to have some help in protecting the neighborhoods of Martin County and northern Palm Beach County following the latest training of Waste Management’s drivers in its community safety program Waste Watch. Through this program, company drivers will act as an extra set of eyes and ears for police, fire department and emergency services, and report emergencies or any suspicious activity that may take place during their routes.
Allen Mitchell, Director, WM Corporate Security; Jupiter Inlet Colony Police Chief John Pruitt; Martin County Sheriff William D. Snyder; Michael DeClerck, WM Sr. District Manager; Jeff Sabin, Director, WM Government Affairs; and Jupiter Inlet Colony Mayor Dan Comerford.
“Because our job is collecting trash and recycling daily from local neighborhoods and businesses, we are a useful resource to identify suspicious activity, or serve as a preventative measure that may keep a minor mishap from turning into a dangerous situation,” said Michael DeClerck, Senior District Manager for Waste Management of Martin County. “Safety is our number one priority, and Martin County and northern Palm Beach County will benefit from our program in keeping the community safe.”
Waste Management drivers, many of whom are new hires since the program was first launched locally in 2010, are being trained in cooperation with the Martin County Sheriff’s Office and emergency services and municipal police departments in Juno Beach, Jupiter Inlet Colony, Palm Beach Gardens, Town of Jupiter and Village of Tequesta.
“We are very pleased to partner with Waste Management on this very important program to assist our deputies in keeping Martin County safe and secure,” said Martin County Sheriff William D. Snyder. “Neighborhood watch programs are a key part of community engagement, and Waste Management is leading the way in business support for our law enforcement activities.
Waste Management employees have undergone proper training on what to look for and how to respond in the case of an emergency or unusual activity. Should anything occur while on their routes, drivers will have the necessary tools to act quickly in communicating that information to 911 or their dispatcher in the case of a non-life threatening emergency.
Being members of the very communities they serve, Waste Management drivers are familiar with their routes and are good candidates to spot anything out of ordinary, especially when they are trained on what to look for.
“The Waste Management Florida team has been diligent in training all of its drivers in our award-winning Waste Watch program over the past several years,” said Allen Mitchell, Waste Management Corporate Security Director and Waste Watch trainer, who is a former FBI Field Agent. “With our local operations expanding, and new drivers joining the team each year, we want to continue to offer these vital training sessions to our new and experienced drivers to help keep our neighborhoods safe.”
Waste Management and its 178 employees in Martin County provide commercial and residential waste and recycling services to more than 100,000 single-family residences in Martin and north Palm Beach County, as well as over 5,700 commercial and industrial customers. More than 100 collection vehicles service the counties from the Hobe Sound location six days per week.
ABOUT WASTE MANAGEMENT
Waste Management, based in Houston, Texas, is the leading provider of comprehensive waste management services in North America. Through its subsidiaries, the company provides collection, transfer, recycling and resource recovery, and disposal services. It is also a leading developer, operator and owner of landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. The company’s customers include residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers throughout North America. To learn more information about Waste Management visit www.wm.com or www.thinkgreen.com.
