More communities are thinking green these days.
Walton County Sheriff's Officials want to form an “Enviornmental Crimes Unit” to crack down on those threatening or damaging the enviornment.
The new proposal will ensure a higher level of response to the residents of Walton county.
If you take a drive down highway-331, you may see things like trash, construction, debris illegally dump, and pollution are taking their toll on the county.
Employees of the C.O.P.E. mental health facility in De Funiak Springs say the site next door has been this way for as long as they can remember.
Hopefully that's about to change.
The Walton County Sheriff's Office is teaming up with Code Enforcement Officers to help the county clean up its act.
Sheriff Mike Adkinson says this problem needs to be addressed.
"We know there's some large scale dumping and we've had reports of it in the past, but this is just going to be kind of a clearing house for all of these types of issues."
Current county ordinances only allow Code Enforcement Officers to issue cease-and desist orders.
Gerry Demers is the Director of the Development Services Division in Walton County and he says the Code Enforcement protocol is a grueling process.
"Our main primary enforcement is to take them to a code enforcement board. And that takes weeks or months, as where a Deputy Sheriff can walk in and shut them down on the spot.”
Under the new proposal, one officer from Code Enforcement would be deputized and transferred to the Sheriff's Office.
That person would undergo training with the Department of Enviornmental Protection, and the new unit would have arrest powers Adkinson says.
"The Environmental Crimes Investigator can work closely with D.E.P and Code Enforcement to figure out a resolution to the problem quickly."
Demers agrees.
"It's kind of a partnership. We'll work with them. If we have a case that gets into the criminal activity, we'll contact them and they'll work this case. “
Adkinson thinks this new addition will better serve residents of Walton county.
"This is a good opportunity to show the people that we work together and that we are going to have a coordinated effort for what’s in the best interest for our citizens"
Walton county commissioners are expected to sign off on the proposal next Tuesday.