Texas Illegal Dumping Resource Center

Helping you enforce Texas anti-dumping laws where you live   


Home    Contact Us    Order Books    Classes    Dumping Laws    Illegal Burning    Free Newsletter    FAQ    Links    TIDRC Blog    National IDRC 


Classes

Recent Classes Held        

 

Training Opportunities 


TIDRC, principle instructor John Ockels provide all levels of training for active enforcement officers and policy officials responsible for providing these programs to their citizens. 

Illegal Dumping Enforcement Training
These full-day classes provide basic training for enforcement officers in Texas criminal laws best suited to be used to control illegal dumping and illegal burning. The course focuses on Texas Health & Safety Code Chapters 341, 343, and 365 as well as Texas Water Code Chapter 7(E) and the Texas Outdoor Burning rule [30 Texas Administrative Code 111(b)]. Participants include local criminal environmental enforcement officers, police officers and deputy sheriffs, sheriffs, police chiefs, mayors, city managers, and municipal code enforcement officers. In addition to teaching the elements of anti-dumping laws in Texas and discussing effective means of enforcing these laws, the class also provides civil municipal code enforcement officers an excellent opportunity to learn how they can work with their police department to move "beyond code enforcement" in particularly difficult cases. 

Senior Official Illegal Dumping Workshops
These short ( three-hour) workshops provide the opportunity for senior elected officials and professional staff to come together with an expert facilitator from TIDRC to focus on local anti-dumping programs. The object is to learn about enforcement options, ask questions, and generally work through the policy issues involved in establishing or growing an effective local enforcement program. Participants commonly include county judges, commissioners, sheriffs, county and district attorneys, misdemeanor and felony judges, police chiefs, county planners, city managers and enforcement officer management. Topics and issues generally touch on program funding options, public education, internal reporting structure for enforcement officers, and facilitating local prosecutors in working these crimes against property and health into their normal processes. This short course is provided in "pairs," usually one in the morning and another in the afternoon at the same or other nearby location.  

Illegal Burning Update
These three-hour workshops are designed for any government official or employee to discuss and learn the new provisions of the Texas Outdoor Burning rule. The differences between TCEQ administrative enforcement and local jurisdiction criminal enforcement of the rule will be discussed. All aspects of the revised rule are addressed, and those provisions permitting burning of plant growth waste – both inside and outside cities – are fully reviewed. Participants from cities wishing to prohibit or otherwise regulate burning plant growth waste through local ordinance are encouraged to discuss their current ordinance with their city attorney. The class will also focus on understanding the felony burning provisions of Texas Water Code Secs. 7.182 and 7.183, and local enforcement of these two burning criminal laws will be discussed. This course is ideal for volunteer and paid fire fighters. This short course is provided in "pairs," usually one in the morning and another in the afternoon at the same or other nearby location. 

Illegal Dumping Enforcement Policy Workshop 
This class seeks to gain the best of both of the above by focusing efforts on one county or city. It lasts a full day, but is divided into two parts. The first four hours are for local elected officials, senior staff, prosecutors, judges, and officers having direct street-level responsibility for illegal dumping enforcement. During this phase of the workshop, the focus is on particular local enforcement issues and problems, and in developing possible policy responses. The second phase, which lasts the rest of the day, is a concentrated training session for street officers needing to learn, review or sharpen their understanding of the laws underlying illegal dumping and burning enforcement. 

Special Projects
TIDRC also works with Keep Texas Beautiful and other organizations to provide specialized training and develop enforcement material. If you have a special project in your jurisdiction that includes illegal dumping education, please give the opportunity to get involved.


Copyright 2006 Texas Illegal Dumping Resource Center

webmaster@tidrc.org