If you are a smoker, think carefully about where you toss that next cigarette butt. From Monday, it could cost you.
Litterbugs and careless dog owners will be under closer scrutiny as Croydon's new 'litter police' squad hit the streets.
Four officers will be deployed by the council to wage war on littering and dog poo, slapping culprits caught dropping trash or failing to clean up after their pet with a £75 on-the-spot fine.
The scheme had been scheduled to launch in May, but was delayed after contractor Xfor went into administration.
But the company has since been bought out by security firm Kingdom, who will bill Croydon Council £45 for every offender caught.
The council expects nearly 5,000 people a year to be caught out, compared to a current rate of around 300. It said income from fines would all be ploughed back into running the scheme's six-month pilot.
Officers will be recognisable by their uniform
Coun Simon Hoar, cabinet member for community safety and public protection, was confident the scheme would instil fear in would-be litter louts.
He said: "From what we are regularly told by residents we know it’s time to get tough on people dropping litter and on dog owners not picking up after their pets.
"Our staff work hard to keep our high streets and town centres clean, but a small minority have no respect for their environment and continue to flout the law. I’m confident this scheme will encourage them to act more responsibly."
Josie Appleton, founder of civil liberties campaign group Manifesto Club, predicted officers - paid bonuses in relation to the number of penalties issued - would pick on easy prey.
Croydon's new 'litter police' with Coun Simon Hoar
She said: "Ninety-nine per cent of people who get fined will be cigarette smokers who drop butts, which is actually the least problematic form of littering."
A council spokesman confirmed officers would not target fly-tippers and would instead focus primarily on busy areas of the town centre, although they could be deployed elsewhere if needed.
But he insisted cigarette butts accounted for a large proportion of the borough's litter problem and took a serious toll on the environment.
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