ChrisG
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City Launches Graffiti Abatement Initiative
« Thread started on: Apr 11th, 2009, 7:03pm » |
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City Launches Graffiti Abatement Initiative
Program Speeds Public Project Permitting/Construction - Targeting graffiti as a serious crime impacting the entire community, the City of Tallahassee today launched a new citywide Graffiti Abatement Initiative. Mayor John Marks was joined today by Tallahassee Police Chief Dennis Jones, local business partners and neighborhood representatives to unveil details of the initiative. Following brief remarks, City officials and community volunteers worked together to paint over graffiti on the Blair Stone Road bridge.
Removing graffiti and repairing the damage is costly, not to mention property is devalued and business owners potentially lose customers due to the negative image that graffiti represents. Graffiti on government-owned property and facilities is also costly as resources must be applied to remove it and repair any property damage. The presence of graffiti may send a message that a neighborhood is in decline or over-ridden with crime, and ultimately, result in a potential loss of quality of life for the community.
To provide a mechanism for reporting graffiti, the City has established a Graffiti Abatement Hotline at 891-4500. Citizens may also report instances of graffiti online via the City's website at Talgov.com. In addition to efforts led by the Tallahassee Police Department's Crime Prevention Unit, other City departments are directly involved in the initiative, including Public Works, all Utility departments, Code Enforcement and Parks, Recreation & Neighborhood Affairs.
"We know that citizens value the quality of life we enjoy in Tallahassee," said Assistant City Manager Jay Townsend. "We are partnering with local businesses, neighborhoods and citizens to send the message that graffiti is not something we are willing to tolerate or accept in our community."
Townsend added that the City has committed to painting over graffiti within three business days of it being reported to the hotline or website and to aggressively work with property owners on the removal of graffiti on the private parcels.
In just four years the Tallahassee Police Department reports a 133 percent increase in the number of graffiti-related calls or citizen complaints (62 in 2004 vs. 145 in 2008). Research shows that cleaning or painting over graffiti immediately or as quickly as possible, helps deter future incidents. Most graffiti is not gang-related as many people tend to believe, but actually the product of a "tagger" leaving their mark to gain notoriety among other graffiti artists.
More than just a law enforcement issue, however, the City of Tallahassee has developed a program to help combat the presence of graffiti painted throughout the community. Various City departments will lead by example through the removal of graffiti affixed to City property such as utility boxes, light poles, retaining walls and street signs. Meanwhile, community partners
Sherwin-Williams Company and Keep Tallahassee-Leon County Beautiful are committed to attacking graffiti, by donating resources and volunteers. Sherwin-Williams has employed a nationwide campaign to help communities all across the U.S. to remove graffiti. Other local paint companies have also expressed an interest in participating and volunteering their services.
To further provide the community with the means to remove graffiti on private property, business owners and homeowners unable to remove graffiti from their property may obtain leftover paint supplies from the City. Citizens may use the phone hotline or website to request paint, available as supplies last.
For more information on the City's Graffiti Abatement Initiative, visit Talgov.com.
Contact: Sgt. Rhonda Scott, Tallahassee Police Department, 891-1847; or Bill Behenna, Communications Department, 891-8533
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