City to Use Unusual Security Measure During RNC

As the masses rain down on Tampa this August for the Republican National Convention, it may not be a policeman or firefighter that ends up saving lives if things get harry, but a garbage handler?

The city will use the eyes of Waste Management workers, according to a Monday article in the Tampa Bay Times, to report suspicious activity surrounding the convention. "Waste Watch", as it is known, is a public safety project first put into motion by the Waste Management corporation in 2004 during the RNC in New York City.

As a major corporation, the company is said to possibly be a target themselves of anarchists who will try to intermingle with any protests that take place during the event. The company currently serves more than 78,000 Tampa Bay customers, both commercial and residential.

Drivers were introduced to the idea through a training video on Monday at the company headquarters on 40th Street. Their instructions were made clear with a short video that indicated they should not attempt to intervene if they find something suspicious, but simply call the authorities and report the activity. 

Specifically, they will be paying close attention to anyone that shows an unusual amount of interest in Waste Management bins and looking for people living in abandoned homes.

The 120 drivers were certified afterwards through a multiple choice test. The program is not specifically being introduced to the Tampa area because of the RNC, but simply because the company does this regularly throughout the nation.