New report shows Oakland cameras do not work as well as foot patrols to catch illegal dumping in city

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) — Building a Better Bay Area means finding solutions and following up to see how well they work.

We’re learning that one approach to fighting illegal dumping in Oakland may not be paying off.

Two years ago, the city announced new cameras meant to catch people dumping trash on Oakland’s streets.

A new report from the city’s interim public works director found the cameras aren’t working as well as good old-fashioned foot patrols.

From April 2023 through March 2024, the cameras caught 457 instances of illegal dumping. Only 13% led to citations.

The report says many of the incidents couldn’t be pursued because the car’s license plate wasn’t clear.

Public works enforcement officers had better luck, issuing more than 500 citations in that same time period.