September 21, 2005 SPD Newsletter - UPDATE on TAGGER Graffiti and the SPD picnic on S. Myrtle

Dear Community Friends:

Tagger Graffiti
Tagger graffiti represents the majority of the graffiti on our streets
today. It is not an isolated act of vandalism, but rather the visual
marker of a worldwide youth oriented anti-social subculture. It is a
subculture that says, "This is art, I can paint or write my graffiti
wherever I want and you can't stop me." Many taggers are involved in
other forms of youth-at-risk behavior, such as truancy, theft and drug
use (usually alcohol or marijuana). Often they experience problems at
home, school or with the law. Their behavior may even become compulsive
or addictive. The majority of tagging occurs between the hours of
midnight and six in the morning. Taggers justify what they do by calling
their graffiti an art, but going out at night alone or with others to
write, paint, scratch or etch their tag on someone else's property is
youth-atrisk behavior and a crime. In Seattle, it is estimated that
millions of dollars are spent each year to paint out or remove graffiti.

Taggers are usually male, between the ages of ten and the late twenties.
They are from all social, racial and economical classes. Many taggers
are skateboarders. They may not live in the community in which they tag.
Half of the taggers arrested or identified in Seattle live in outlying
areas such as Everett, Kirkland, Bellevue or Tacoma. Taggers from Los
Angeles, San Francisco and San Jose, California have been identified
doing graffiti in Seattle. The conditions that reduce or stop this
destructive behavior involve:
* Painting out or removing graffiti quickly
* Immediate substantial consequences for the tagger's behavior
* Improving the tagger's self-esteem.

Long-term efforts by communities and families to expand a youth's
positive skills, talent and motivation help reduce tagging.
Eight Ways You Can Personally Take Control Of Graffiti In Your
Neighborhood:
1. If you see graffiti vandalism in progress, call 911. Do not attempt
to apprehend the suspect yourself.
2. When graffiti appears on your home or apartment building, make a
police report. Call the Seattle Police Department's non-emergency
number, 206-625-5011.3. After police document the graffiti vandalism,
remove or paint over it immediately. This will help prevent more
graffiti. For FREE paint, call 206-386-4093.
4. Ask merchants in your neighborhood to remove graffiti from their
buildings. Thank those who remove it quickly.
5. Call the Graffiti Hot Line 206-684-7587 to report graffiti on public
or private property.
6. Volunteer to paint out graffiti in your neighborhood. Call
206-386-9746 for assistance.
7. Volunteer for the Adopt-A-Street program. Call 206-684-7647.
8. Work with your chamber of commerce, community council, church or
service group to make graffiti concerns known to the media, lawmakers
and the courts. In the past, writing letters to the court and being
present for sentencing of the tagger has been very effective. Special
thanks to Capt. Wanda Thompson (Ret.), Sgt. John Heneghan, Det. Rod
Hardin,Sue Honaker and Heather McAuliffe for their work in putting this
information together.

Picnic At The Precinct
We're hosting a community picnic and invite you all to attend. Please
join us this coming Saturday, September 24, 2005 1:00 - 4:00 pm, at the
South Precinct - 3001 S. Myrtle ST. Meet your local police officers,
neighbors and community-based organizations. We will have fun activities
for the whole family, great food, entertainment and precinct tours. You
can win gift baskets, SPD memorabilia and gift certificates to local
businesses. We hope to see you there!