I was driving home with my daughter at about 10:15PM, exiting Hwy 13 onto Joaquin Miller Rd. At the series of stop signs there, a white pickup truck loaded overflowing with random garbage and furniture buzzed through the intersections without stopping, headed uphill.
I instantly knew that this guy was a dumper. I had my 16yo daughter in the car so I told her that if she wasn’t here, I would go follow them. But she encouraged me to go anyway, so we followed this truck to the top of Joaquin Miller Rd, where he got into the left turn lane (north onto Skyline Blvd, towards Roberts Park).
This is when we called the OPD non- emergency number. And they picked up one ring! Since I was also stopped at the light behind this truck, I could give fairly good details. White Ford F150 with payload sidewalls in the bed and stacked to the brim. I could only see part of the license plate because it was wrapped in Saran Wrap! But I relayed what I could. The operator said that she would try and send a patrol car.
The truck pulled over less than 100yards from the intersection, and we drove past really slowly to give them the full headlight treatment. But we couldn’t see anything in the cab.
We drove past and turned around about a quarter mile down the road. By the time we circled back, a woman had gotten out and was helping direct the truck to reverse down the path. So we called OPD non-emergency again, and they picked up quickly again! Different operator, but she said the she saw the report, and we told her that the truck was mid-dump. She said that they were sending someone.
I didn’t stick around to see what happened, but we went by the area today and there is no sign of dumped garbage, so I think that the dumpers were stopped. Props to OPD non-emergency line!
I’m glad my daughter was with me, and that she encouraged me to follow them. I think that having her with me kept me on the sensible path- just doing a drive by/call in rather than revving up for a confrontation.
Aside: Is there any way to look into OPD activity for any given day? I found this website, but each day only has 2-3 incidents logged, so I’m guessing it’s not well kept.
OPD Daily Log | City of Oakland, CA
BTW: OPD non-emergency line: (510) 777-3211