HOBOKEN — The pet poop police are out there, even if you don’t see them. And if they catch you leaving your dog’s dirty business behind, it’ll cost you.

In an effort to crack down on dog waste that some residents say is “everywhere” across the Mile Square City, Hoboken police and city officials will be going undercover to issue fines to those bad humans who don’t pick up their pets’ waste.

The fines start at $250 and could be as high as $2,000, officials said.

“This is a quality-of-life issue that has public health and public safety impacts upon families and children who enjoy our parks and our sidewalks,” Hoboken Mayor Ravi Bhalla told The Jersey Journal on Wednesday. “It really warrants heightened penalties for violators.”

It’s also really disgusting, residents say.

The initiative calls on the public to assist in identifying the locations and times that serial offenders leave their dog’s waste. People can log time and location of incidents along with dog descriptions via the Hoboken 311 app or this web page.

The new ordinance calls for a minimum of $250 and incrementally increases for repeated offenders, who can pay up $2,000.

Rob Truslowe was walking his dog Harley at the Northwest Pop-up Park on 12th Street Wednesday afternoon when he cheered the new initiative.

“It’s a problem that needs to be addressed,” Truslowe said as he pointed to piles of dog waste on the grassy outer edge of the park.

Truslowe added he thinks the city’s initiative is a good idea, since it is difficult to catch the irresponsible owners in the act.

“I’ve seen just a ton of pet waste taking (Harley) for a walk every day,” Truslowe said. “It’s like trying to avoid landmines out here ... it’s everywhere."

Martin Apablaza, who owns the dog-walking company Wufster, agreed.

“It is everywhere. You can’t go one block without seeing it on the floor," Apablaza said as he walked two dogs Wednesday afternoon around uptown Pop-up Park. He noted he ensures his 16 dog walkers have waste bag dispensers on the dogs’ leashes.

Apablaza added the prevalence of dog waste is a public health issue, especially for children.

“Having a dog is a responsibility, and part of that responsibility is picking up after them,” he said.

Three residents interviewed had a more casual attitude, saying that navigating the sidewalks is just a fact of life.

“I don’t think I’ve noticed an overabundance,” said Heather Hebert, who said she walks daily from uptown to downtown. “In all the time I’ve been walking, I stepped in it a few times, which is the worst. You try to get it off and go on with your day."

Hebert noted she recently moved to Hoboken from Washington, where she said street pet waste is much more prevalent. And although she’s not a pet owner, she said she’s glad the mayor is doing something about the issue.

Bhalla said the city plans to partner with property owners in the coming months to add more pet waste stations, where owners or dog walkers can grab a bag if necessary. Property owners interested in volunteering to adopt a station or finding out more information should email David Calamoneri at dcalamoneri@hoboknnj.gov.

The mayor said the pet waste stations will be funded through the Clean Communities Program, a state grant the provides funds to municipalities, counties and state parks for litter-abatement and implementation of programs for cleanup, enforcement and education.

“My administration is focusing very strongly on this issue to make sure we’re as responsive as possible to our residents,” Bhalla said.

Aya Elamroussi may be reached at aelamroussi@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @aya_elamroussi. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.