Editor’s note: This is the first in a series by The Selma Times-Journal focusing on litter in the Selma and Dallas County area and the efforts designed to cut down on its happening.

For Dallas County Sheriffs Department chief deputy Randy Pugh the answer to winning the battle against littering may not be in the fines and legal trouble, but rather the embarrassment of being caught.

“I make them turn around and pick up what they threw out,” Pugh said. “Being stopped isn’t embarrassing, but having to turn your car around and then go back to pick up what you threw is.”

The misdemeanor charge of littering, a charge that could carry a fine up to $500, is something most deputies very rarely come across, or even issue warnings on.

“It’s something that you might come across two or three times each year, per officer,” Pugh said. “It is still something that shocks you though when it happens right in front of you. I mean, who does something like throw a McDonald’s bag out the window in the first place.”

The motorists deputies make turn around and pick up the items they threw out, are issued a written warning.

“We want to make sure we have something on file so that if it happens again, then we can go ahead and charge them with the misdemeanor,” Pugh said.

For anything larger, or suspected illegal dumping sites, Pugh said the department works with Larry Friday and the county’s environmental management department.

That department handles landfills, solid waste and litter.

But as far as Pugh is concerned, the problem in enforcing litter laws may be the job of the department, but is dependent on the support of local residents.

“For us to offer a warning or anything else, we have to see it happen,” Pugh said. “Or a resident could come in a sign out a statement, but that hardly ever happens.”