For the next few weeks I want to write about littering and give you facts about the laws of littering. We are very lucky in St. John to have our sheriff, Sheriff Wayne L. Jones, our district attorney, Tom Daley, and our parish president, Natalie Robottom, to be very concerned about littering and to use their powers to stop this act. I know many of you see people throw trash out of their vehicles, empty their ash trays at the red light, etc.

RS 30:2531 LITTERING

PROHIBITED PENALTIES

No person shall throw, drop, deposit, discard, permit the intentional or accidental ejection,

emission or escape of or otherwise dispose of litter upon any public place in the

state. Upon private property in this state not owned by him upon property located in rural areas in this state not owned by him, or in or on the waters of this state whether from a vehicle or otherwise including

but not limited to any public

highway, public right of way, public park, beach, campground, forestland, recreational area, trailer park, highway road, street, or alley.

PENALTIES

First – Fine not more than $500.

Second – Fine not more than $1,500 and eight hours community service

Third – Fine not more than $3,000 and Imprisoned not more than six months.

Jones has two litter crews he sends out on a daily basis consisting of about five trustees and one deputy in each crew. In the past couple of months they have cleaned all state highways and cleaned from Mt. Airy to Laplace.

District Attorney Tom Daley heads up keep St. John Beautiful and has regular meetings pertaining to ways to fight the litter problem. Parish President Natalie Robottom attends litter meetings and offers her assistance with whatever comes before the board.

The public officials in St. John are very serious about the littering problems and I, Lt. Wayne Norwood am very serious about enforcing the litter law. If you have any questions about littering please give me a call at 985-652-7058.

Wayne Norwood is a lieutenant with the St. John the Baptist Sheriff’s Department and owner and operator of the Louisiana Treasures Museum.