Press Release

Waste Watch Enhances Safety in Corona
Waste Management program works with law enforcement to protect homes, businesses

Corona, CA, March 11, 2008 - "To protect and to serve" is a common law enforcement motto, but it also applies to your local Waste Management collector. Each day, crews drive neighborhood streets and through commercial areas, serving you by collecting your waste. They also serve another role - because they know their routes so well, they know when something looks suspicious.

Waste Management drivers work with local law enforcement in our community to enhance safety through a program called Waste Watch. This neighborhood watch program helps protect your home or business and provides local police, fire and emergency services with a crew of alert, trained drivers who are in neighborhoods every day. Waste Watch is active in 39 communities served by Waste Management.

"Being on the safe side means checking out situations such as lights on when no one should be home or a warehouse lit up at the wrong time," said Alex Braicovich, Director of Government Affairs for Waste Management of the Inland Empire. "The right information at the right time can halt or prevent crime or personal injuries. Our drivers are there to report such activities to the authorities."

Waste Management’s Corporate Security has partnered with law enforcement officers from Corona, Norco and Riverside County to educate and train our drivers on the Waste Watch program. On Thursday, March 20th, Waste Management drivers will receive specialized training to know what to look for, how to react and how to report incidents

"We welcome the extra eyes and ears in our neighborhoods," said Sergeant Pawluczenko of the Corona Police Department. "Waste Management drivers provide services to homes and businesses daily, giving them a strong familiarity with the area. We are glad to be working with them."

"Our regular routes help our crews become familiar with the norm, and they notice when something is out of the ordinary," Braicovich said. "Our drivers have the necessary tools and communications devices to quickly reach their dispatcher, meaning that suspicious or unusual activities are reported immediately."

Waste Management’s El Sobrante Landfill is located in the unincorporated area of Riverside County. The landfill serves more than one million Inland Empire residents and is a critical component of Riverside County and the greater Los Angeles region’s infrastructure. The site has more than XXX acres in permanent preservation and is a critical component of preserving open space in Riverside County. For more information on the landfill, please go to www.keepinginlandempireclean.com.

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