ST. LANDRY PARISH — St. Landry Parish officials are sounding the alarm over growing cases of illegal dumping — and what Parish President Jessie Bellard recently discovered has left even him frustrated.
People just don't care,” Bellard said after crews found a dismantled vehicle dumped into one of the parish’s canals.
Bellard says scenes like this have become all too common.
“It’s nothing unusual anymore. People have no respect for other people’s property,” Bellard said. “People just don’t care — they dump wherever they can.” The parish is dealing with everything from tires and furniture to entire vehicles being discarded in ditches and waterways. Bellard says this kind of dumping doesn’t just look bad — it causes serious drainage issues for residents.
“It’s a shame,” he said. “Instead of bringing trash to the yard in Beggs or setting it out for pickup, people are dumping it on the side of the road or in canals. We’ve got the car in our yard now, and the Sheriff’s Office is working to identify the vehicle.” While the parish is trying to crack down, Bellard says catching offenders is difficult without proof.
“Unless you have video footage or an eyewitness, it’s hard to do,” he explained. According to the Parish Code of Ordinances, dumping a vehicle can lead to a fine of up to $1,000. And Bellard says District Attorney Chad Pitre doesn’t go easy on violators.
“He doesn’t fix tickets when it comes to littering,” Bellard said. “If you get cited, you’re going to court.” To help stop the problem, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries has installed surveillance cameras across the parish and state to catch illegal dumpers in the act.
Bellard says additional enforcement could soon be on the way — the Parish Council is expected to vote Wednesday night on an ordinance that would allow a hearing officer to prosecute people caught dumping.
