City Launches Anti-Graffiti Campaign

The City of El Paso on Thursday launched a new public outreach effort encouraging citizens to take a stand against graffiti.

The Make a Difference – Report Graffiti campaign helps residents and businesses recognize the toll that graffiti takes on the community and offers an opportunity to take action. Graffiti vandalism is a community issue and not just a law enforcement one. The new campaign strives to engage citizens, businesses and the media into helping to abate graffiti by reporting it or removing as soon as it is discovered.

“Graffiti is a problem that affects everyone in our community,” Police Chief Greg Allen said in a news release. “If not removed promptly, graffiti can spread and attract other criminal behavior. Graffiti is a crime punishable by jail and/or a fine and the El Paso Police Department takes a zero-tolerance stance when enforcing this law. Only by working together can we reduce the negative effects of this crime. Please report and remove it as quickly as possible.”

The retail community is asked to help reduce graffiti by following laws regulating the sale of spray paint and permanent markers. The sale of spray paint and permanent markers to minors is prohibited. Anyone who sells spray paint or markers to minors risks criminal charges.

The City of El Paso annually spends approximately $1 million on graffiti cleanup and police response to graffiti vandalism.

The City’s Department of Transportation Anti-Graffiti Program removes graffiti. The program also works with the El Paso Police Department and other community groups to keep graffiti from overrunning the community and attracting other forms of blight and criminal behavior.

The wipeout effort is led by a full-time team of anti-graffiti technicians, who make their way through the community removing tagging from city facilities, homes, businesses and traffic-control equipment. The City does not charge a fee for this service, which is available to residents and businesses located within the city limits.

Each month, the Anti-Graffiti Program receives more than 700 service requests for graffiti removal. Graffiti removal response ranges from 48 hours to a week.

“Graffiti vandalism traditionally spikes during warm-weather months. To keep it from spreading this year, we are asking everyone to help make a difference in the battle against this blight by abating or reporting it immediately. If graffiti is removed promptly, experience has shown that taggers are unlikely to return,” Department of Transportation Director Daryl W. Cole said in a news release.

What Citizens and Businesses Can Do If your neighborhood group, business, school or organization would like a guest speaker regarding anti-graffiti efforts, contact El Paso Police Community Services/Police Area Representative Units at: ? Central Regional Command Center, 838-8013 ? Mission Valley Regional Command Center, 872-3600 ? Northeast Regional Command Center, 759-2000 ? Pebble Hills Regional Command Center, 599-5500 ? Westside Regional Command Center, 585-6100 Request graffiti removal by contacting the City of El Paso Department of Transportation Anti-Graffiti Program at www.elpasotexas.gov/graffiti/ or (915) 621-6789. The City does not charge a fee for this service. Report graffiti vandalism to El Paso Police at www.eppd.org or the department’s non-emergency number at (915) 832-4400. Graffiti in progress should be reported to 9-1-1.

What Retailers Should Know Texas bans spray paint sales to minors. Violators risks criminal charges. A minor is anyone who is 17 years of age younger. Retailers should keep spray paint locked up. Learn more: Chapter 485 of the Texas Health and Safety Selling permanent markers to minors is also prohibited. Violators risk criminal charges. Under the law, minors may use non-water soluble markers for school, civic, religious or employment purposes provided that they are supervised by an adult. Learn more: Chapter 13 of the El Paso City Code, or municipal code. Tips on Removal ? Remove graffiti promptly. If not removed quickly, it will attract more graffiti. ? Wear gloves and other safety gear when painting or using solvents to remove graffiti, especially when using dangerous and toxic chemicals. Whenever possible use non-toxic chemicals. ? Test your removal method on a small area first to be sure that it will work without causing damage. ? Graffiti on painted surfaces is simple to eradicate. Keep a can of matching paint on hand to make it fast and easy to paint over the graffiti. Using another color highlights your property as a site that has been tagged and may attract more graffiti. ? On unpainted non-porous surfaces, such as metal, consider using a graffiti remover solution available at most hardware stores. ? On unpainted porous surfaces, such as rock, brick or cinderblock walls, try power washing or soda blasting. ? Hire a professional to remove graffiti.