Panel mulls Anti-Graffiti Law

Panel mulls anti-graffiti law
WOULD ALLOW CHARGING VANDALS CAUGHT IN ACT
By Delano R. Massey
DMASSEY@HERALD-LEADER.COM
Hoping to combat Lexington's growing graffiti problem, the city could impose a law that would allow police to charge vandals they catch red-handed.
An Urban County Council committee on Tuesday asked the city's law department to draft an ordinance that clearly defines and prohibits graffiti and gives police the power to charge perpetrators who are in possession of graffiti tools, such as cans of spray paint, broad tipped markers, paint sticks and etching acid.
The law department was asked to explore the possibility of citing businesses for selling the tools to minors.
The draft will be presented to the committee for review and then sent to council.
City officials say graffiti has been springing up all over the city -- some by gang members.
The ordinance was recommended by Lexington police officer Keith Gaines, who began digging into the matter in November 2006. Gaines, who said Lexington's graffiti problem has been on a steady climb for the past year, said more than 50 cities that have developed specific ordinances for graffiti.
Gaines said the city's Division of Parks and Recreation spent about $13,000 last year to remove graffiti. He considered the ordinance the "first step" in dealing with the problem. He said other cities have taken it a step further by addressing graffiti removal. Typically, they try to have it removed between 24 to 48 hours, which he said is key to successful graffiti prevention.
He said cities have equipped crews armed with power washers, soda blasters and chemicals to remove the graffiti. They also have graffiti hotlines so residents can call it in quickly.
Gaines said the third step is to develop a graffiti education program.
Jerry Hancock, director of Parks and Recreation, said the parks department had incidents in 15 parks two years ago, and now it is having incidents in 30 or 40 parks on a regular basis.
"It's in parks in all sections of town -- including all income areas."
Hancock said his department is in the process of asking council to approve the purchase of a van dedicated to graffiti removal; he has applied for grants to buy pressure washers and hopes to use homeland security grant money to buy a soda blaster.