Camden County Police say they've handled more than 68 illegal dumping cases so far in 2026 and have already charged 31 people, part of a stepped-up campaign that pairs a nine-drone unit with roughly 1,000 cameras scattered across the city. Officials say the effort is aimed at catching people who treat vacant lots and street medians as free landfills, dumping everything from household trash to construction debris.
Camden County Police Capt. Gordon Harvey said officers are actively watching for illegal dumpers, though he cautioned that the jump in cases doesn't necessarily mean the problem itself is getting worse. As reported by CBS News, police recorded 68 illegal dumping cases for all of 2025, meaning this year's total has already matched or exceeded last year's full-year count, and officers have zeroed in on known hotspots, including a stretch of median on Collings Avenue in Camden's Fairview section.
A Camera and Drone Network Built to Catch Repeat Offenders
Five of the roughly 1,000 cameras positioned around Camden are dedicated entirely to monitoring illegal dumping, and police say they can relocate those five units in less than an hour to chase reports of new dumping spots. That mobile camera strategy is used at high-frequency dumping locations, according to a report from NJ Spotlight News.
The camera network works alongside the department's aerial surveillance, which has grown into the largest police drone fleet in South Jersey. Per FOX 29 Philadelphia, the unit expanded to nine aircraft in January 2026, supported by $430,000 in private donations that allow officers to fly the drones from both rooftop launch points and mobile units, using them to help locate previously unknown dumping sites.
Residents Cash In on Tips as City Pushes Reporting Tools
Camden officials say the surveillance technology only goes so far without residents willing to report what they see. Mayor Vic Carstarphen has encouraged residents to document suspected illegal dumping when it's safe to do so, telling people to record and submit videos of the activity they witness. Residents can report suspected dumping through police, the STOPit app or the county's 24-hour tip line, and the city's ordinance offers a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction. The city announced its first payout under that tip-reward program last year, according to Camden County, which noted that the STOPit app lets residents anonymously submit video and photos directly to detectives.
Carstarphen has said the city will continue making examples of people who illegally dump, a message reinforced by the scale of what's being cleared off Camden's streets. Camden County has reported that municipal crews remove more than 32,000 tons of illegally dumped refuse each year, and officials there have said unscrupulous landlords and contractors frequently treat empty lots as private landfills.
The Money and the Law Behind the Crackdown
Illegal dumping costs Camden about $4.5 million per year, according to city officials, a price tag that helps explain why the city has invested so heavily in cameras and drones rather than relying solely on after-the-fact cleanup. The local cleanup burden underscores the challenge of dealing with illegal dumping.
Offenders caught dumping in New Jersey face consequences beyond local enforcement. State law is part of the broader legal framework for addressing illegal dumping.
One case highlighted by Camden County Police illustrates the problem: people gutting a house dumped debris in a neighboring empty lot, FOX 29 Philadelphia reported.
Legal Ways to Get Rid of Bulk Trash
City officials say part of the solution is making sure residents have somewhere legal to put unwanted items in the first place. Camden offers bulk-waste and other disposal options intended to give residents alternatives so trash doesn't end up on the street. The city's Department of Public Works offers bulk-waste and other disposal options, according to city guidance compiled by TrashDayNow.
New Jersey is also backing local cleanup and enforcement efforts at the state level. For Camden, city officials say the combination of the drone fleet, the camera network and resident tips is what's needed to keep pace with a problem that has proven difficult to fully stamp out.
