Recycling industry's partnership with law enforcement reaches new heights, according to ISRI

For more than a decade, the recycling industry has made a strong effort to fight the theft of metals and other materials through proactive outreach to law enforcement. One such example was the creation of ScrapTheftAlert.com in 2008. The alert system is a free online tool for law enforcement to broadcast alerts to local scrap facilities to be on the lookout for stolen material. The system recently reached the milestone of more than 10,000 registered law enforcement users, which constitutes approximately 21 percent of law enforcement agencies in the United States being represented.

"The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries through strong relationships with law enforcement has increased the availability of ScrapTheftAlert.com and is making a difference in the fight against metals theft," said Brady Mills, director of law enforcement outreach for the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI). "As important as it is to have recyclers and property owners registered on the system, it is equally important to increase the number of registered law enforcement officials."

ScrapTheftAlert.com allows registered users to send alerts out to a 100 mile radius of a theft (the area can be expanded if needed). Detailed descriptions and photos can be uploaded so nearby recycling facilities can be on the lookout for stolen materials. In addition, it contains enhanced search features for vetted law enforcement officials. In the last 10 years, there have been more than 19,000 alerts issued and the system has helped recover more than $2.7 million in property. In addition to the alerts, ScrapTheftAlert.com is also used by law enforcement as an intelligence gathering tool. Officials can see what and where materials are being targeted in surrounding areas to look for trends. 

ISRI has made ScrapTheftAlert.com even easier for law enforcement to access as a service provider through the Regional Information Sharing Systems (RISS) and the Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP) networks. 

RISS Directors Association Chairman Donald Kennedy said, "RISS is proud to be a partner with ISRI and their ScrapTheftAlert.Com system. For 40 years RISS has been assisting law enforcement in providing the best tools available to better able investigators to share intelligence and information and effect successful criminal justice cases. That is why we have partnered with ISRI because we at RISS feel that they also are providing a valuable service to law enforcement and that they are in lock step with RISS to achieve those same goals and objectives with the help from this proven system."

Overall there more than 24,000 total registered users including private security, companies, and individual users in addition to law enforcement.