A crew of unlikely workers are set to become the eyes and ears of law enforcement in the Florida Keys -- garbage truck drivers.

Waste Management Inc. is partnering with the FBI, Florida Highway Patrol, Monroe County Sheriff's Office and Key West Police Department, among other agencies, in training drivers to be on the lookout for suspicious behavior and crime, said the company's Monroe County district manager, Greg Sullivan.

The timing seems right, Sullivan said, given the drivers' odd hours and the recent rash of boat engine thefts.

"With the recent surge of issues we've had, we've been wanting to get something like this going," Sullivan said. "Officers have actually ridden along with our guys in the past to work in cases, so this seems like a natural step."

The company has hired retired FBI agents to school the drivers on how to spot suspicious behavior and how to accurately convey that information to law enforcement, Sullivan said.

"Our function is not to stop a robber or chase him, by any means," he said. "It's more to size up the guy, you know, how tall is he, what color is his hair, that sort of thing. I wouldn't say we're going to have a direct line to police; we just want to be able to give them pertinent facts if we see something out there."

Sullivan recalled a story about a North Carolina garbageman who helped an elderly woman who slipped on the ice while taking out her trash. She had been unable to get help for nearly an hour, he said.

"So this isn't just a crime program," Sullivan said. "It's about being a good neighbor."

Sheriff Bob Peryam said he liked the program so much he invited all involved to his offices to hold their training seminars, which are scheduled for this week.

"In my eyes this is like having a mobile crime watch that goes up and down every street in the Keys," Peryam said. "It doesn't get any better than that. This is what community policing is all about."

Waste Management contracts with the city of Key West and unincorporated Monroe County. Marathon and Islamorada contract with different companies. Key West Police Chief Donie Lee was equally encouraged.

"This is a force multiplier," Lee said. "We're looking forward to working with a great set of extra eyes and ears."

alinhardt@keysnews.com