San Francisco Apartment Association

Feature

The War Against Taggers: The City Gets Tough

by Officer Christopher Putz

Graffiti vandalism is the type of crime that can negatively change an entire neighborhood and spread if left unchecked. Not only does the actual property owner suffer as a result; we all suffer. It makes us feel unsafe and often leads to other problems. If there is graffiti on the building, you might assume it is alright to throw gum wrappers on the ground and spit gum on the sidewalk.

We at the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) believe that graffiti vandalism is a serious crime. Vandalizing someone's property is similar to stealing from them, for the vandal has effectively taken a person's time and money, not to mention the emotional toll. Anger seems to top the list of results.

The SFPD actively pursues graffiti investigations with zero tolerance by seeking the arrest of and search warrants for chronic repeat offenders who vandalize the city. We recognize that graffiti/vandalism and litter greatly contribute to the decay and blight of our neighborhoods. We care about this city, its merchants and residents, and we understand the importance of tourism.

We have solved many cases thanks to proactive neighbors. For a time, Geary Boulevard was hit night after night by a vandal with the tag, “RAZOE.” David Heller, president of Geary Boulevard Merchants, soon contacted us and provided photographs of the damages. A volunteer anti-graffiti buster spent numerous hours cleaning RAZOE graffiti and he also gave us additional photos. The case took quite some time to solve, but eventually we served a search warrant in the Richmond District, collected incriminating evidence and made the arrest. The victims received restitution, and the case was a success for everyone involved.

Of course, there are many cases that go unsolved, but community involvement is essential to our future success. Perhaps you have a maintenance worker who sees the same graffiti over and over—if he would photograph it and e-mail it to me, it would help. Remember: “A picture is worth a thousand words.”

These are tough cases to solve if the vandal is not caught in the act. But times have changed, and gone are the days when you had to catch the vandal spraying a building. Those are still good cases, but we now also focus on cold cases. We examine the writing styles and the information we gain from viewing the actual graffiti, known as a tag, which often contains useful clues.

Usually the vandal wants to spread his/her name by tagging every piece of public and private property. A true vandal, or cultural activist, as some may call him/her, will always have the tools necessary to commit the crime should the occasion present itself. You may be surprised to learn that many arrests occur during daytime.

To help win this war, we have formed tight relationships with numerous community groups, the Department of Public Works and others. We also work closely with the District Attorney's Office to ensure that misdemeanor and felony property-crime cases are prosecuted. And we recently instituted Court Watch, a program that invites the public to court in order to support the DA in prosecuting this type of crime. When the judge learns that community members are observing the proceedings, this issue often gets more serious.

The Following Tips Can Help Reduce Vandalism

  • remove the graffiti right away after photographing it for documentation;
  • call SFPD, and encourage your tenants to call SFPD, when there is any type of suspicious activity;
  • install more lighting and cameras (even if the camera isn't working, make it look functional);
  • consider installing a protective coating over street-level windows to protect them against scratches and acid etch;
  • file a police report at www.sfgov.org;
  • call SFPD at 415-553-0123 to meet with an officer and file an official report;
  • call 911 if the crime is in progress and the vandal is causing substantial property damage (non-emergency number is 415-553-0123);
  • call DPW at 415-28-CLEAN to report graffiti on public property or overflowing city garbage cans, or to join their anti-graffiti volunteer program;
  • e-mail photos of the vandalism to sfpd_graffiti_unit@pacbell.net to notify us of graffiti in your area without making an official report;
  • call SFPD Graffiti Abatement at 415-558-5445 if you have questions; and
  • be willing to testify if there is an arrest.

Recommendations for Graffiti Prosecution
by the San Francisco District Attorney's Office

The District Attorney's Office recommends that you take various steps to aid in the prosecution of graffiti vandals. These steps are only meant to be advisory and should not be construed to be comprehensive or to guarantee a successful prosecution.

Things you can do to help include:

  • Testify—Your cooperation and testimony are essential in a successful prosecution. Without your testimony, the criminal case is severely weakened.
  • Document the offense—Always take pictures of the graffiti as you see it. At least two color photographs of the graffiti should be taken at the scene. On the back of each photograph, you should write your name and the location where the graffiti took place. Make sure to record all evidence of what vandalism took place. Take notes on the nature of the incident and at what day, time and place you first noticed it and recorded the evidence.
  • Don't accept a civil compromise—Keep in mind that you don't have to speak to any defense attorney. Making financial settlements out of court prevents subsequent prosecution and reduces criminal accountability.
  • Cooperation and organization—Your commitment to removing graffiti is an essential key to success. Community organization will help ensure that we can document offenses and also show patterns of behavior by the offenders. This will help for bail/custody hearings. You can also install video surveillance and hire trained security guards. These security measures will help deter vandals and provide additional evidence for a successful prosecution.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the SFAA or the San Francisco Apartment Magazine. Christopher Putz is a police officer with the San Francisco Police Department's Graffiti Abatement Program, which can be reached at 415-558-5445. Copyright © 2005 by the San Francisco Apartment Magazine. All rights reserved.