Janesville police to focus on abandoned cars starting Tuesday
JANESVILLE—Janesville police on Tuesday will begin Operation Clean Up, combing the city for abandoned cars and threats to safety.
Police officers, community service specialists and the department's community services officer will be looking for abandon vehicles on the roadway, burned-out street lights, obstructed street and traffic-control signs and other safety problems, according to a police announcement issued Monday night.
The community services specialists and community services officer will spend about one week doing the work, in conjunction with an officer assigned to each patrol area.
Once a safety concern is identified, officers will notify the proper department to correct the situation, the release states.
A city ordinance defines as abandoned any vehicle parked on the street longer than 24 hours without being driven.
Police will chalk the tires of any vehicle suspected of being abandoned, check back in 24 hours, and if it has not moved, they will issue a $30 ticket and put an abandoned-vehicle sign on the vehicle in an attempt to contact the owner, said Sgt. Mark Ratzlaff.
Any vehicle that hasn't moved in 10 days will be towed.
The effort will begin in police Area 1, which is west of the Rock River and north of Court Street.