Mayor Will Flanagan and Fall River City Councilors Ray Mitchell and Eric Poulin announced an initiative to crack down on litter and enhance the Fall River Police Department's enforcement of litter laws at a press conference in the Fall River Government Center lobby on April 11, 2011. The announcement was in response to numerous complaints of littering throughout the city, including complaints of trash dumping in the Copicut Woods section of the City. The Mayor proposed that fines for littering be increased from $100 to $300 per violation, the maximum allowed under current state law for non-criminal penalties. The Mayor also announced that $200 from each fine collected would go directly to the Fall River Police Department to enable Chief Dan Racine to assign extra hours to police to step up enforcement. The remaining $100 would go into the city account as it currently does. The Mayor's initiative also calls for judges to assign those unable to pay the fines to community service picking up litter. The proposal will go to the City Council for further action. Click here for the Herald News article. Click here for the video of the announcement. For more information, contact the the Mayor's Office at 508-324-2600.
 

(Top row) Mayor Flanagan is joined by City Councilor Vice-president Ray Mitchell and Councilor Eric Poulin in the lobby of Government Center to make the announcement. (Middle row) Fall River Police Chief Daniel Racine praises the Mayor for the initiative which will enable his Department to more actively pursue litterers. (Bottom row) Fall River Government Television videographer Phil Sabatino and Fall River Herald News reporter Will Richmond record the press conference and Department of Community Maintenance director Ken Pacheco takes questions.