Dallas Graffiti Arts Project

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Dallas Graffiti Arts ProjectPublic Safety Committee

August 14, 2012

www.dallaspolice.netDavid O. BrownChief Of Police


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Purpose

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To provide the Council with an update of

efforts being made to curb/eliminate illegal

graffiti, including:

- review of traditional methods

- introduction of more innovative approaches

To seek Councils support of these efforts.


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Project Impetus

Council has had a keen interest in reducing graffitithroughout the city.

- CM Jasso has led many efforts to meet the challenge:

District One Graffiti Wipeout Workshop targeting

students and parents in grades K 5.

Anti-graffiti themes incorporated into DISD curriculum.

Neighborhood abatements and student murals.

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Enhance Our Efforts

Traditional city responses to end graffiti arrest andabatement have had only limited success.

More/different is needed to achieve better results:

enhanced enforcement creative abatement collaborations

partnerships with graffiti artists

Anticipated outcomes of these updates: reduction in overall incidence of illicit graffiti and

change in general public perception that all graffiti art is

criminal and a blight to neighborhoods.

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Definitions and Types of Graffiti

Graffiti markings such as drawings, painting, slogans, andsymbols placed in any manner on tangible property

Three principal types of illegal graffiti:

Vandalism Ethnic, religious, or sexual slurs placed on

property and often promoted by video and websites

Tagging Random markings by those seeking recognition

Gang Graffiti symbols, names, initials, and the like

communicating with other gangs, often to identify territory,

and continued through peer pressure and recognition5


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Traditional Enforcement Efforts

Enforcement efforts continue to use existing statutes:

Texas Penal Code 25.08 prohibits graffiti. Penalties range

from jail to prison depending on amount of damage.

Automatic felony for defacing schools, churches,

cemeteries, community centers, etc.

Dallas City Ordinance Section 31-39 prohibits possessionof graffiti instruments (spray paint, markers, etc.) by

minors and can impose fines on parents.

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Traditional Enforcement Efforts

NPO and patrol officers targeting graffiti hotspots

Gang Unit tracking gang members, their

territories, and symbols to identify taggers

Trained detectives who work only on graffiti cases

Pro-active educational efforts in schools,community organizations, and the like to

encourage respect for others property

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Enhanced EnforcementChanges underway to prosecute violators more effectively:

Use of new tracking software that:

Documents tagging with geo-coded photographs,

Automatically calculates clean-up costs, and

Supports prosecution efforts

Focus on building multiple cases to enhance criminal penalties

against prolific taggers

Relating cases based on art and tagging style, theme, and composition

Selected officers put on temporary assignment with Gang Unit

Will learn more about gang and graffiti intervention

Upon return to stations will serve as a local point of contact and resource

Currently at SW and NW

Next training cycle begins in September

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Traditional Abatement

Abatement is bringing properties into compliance onceefforts to gain voluntary compliance from propertyowners have been exhausted

Public complaints directed to 311 and 911.

Response by Code to remove illicit tagging.

Paint-overs by businesses, community organizations,and neighborhood groups on limited or ad hoc basis.

Clean-up and restoration by neighborhood policeofficers (NPOs).

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Creative Abatement Collaborations

Innovative abatement programs:

Adopt-A-Block

Volunteer Program

Community Wipeout

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Volunteer Program

Typically Individuals

Abatement throughout the City

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Community Wipe Out Program

Existing Program

Spearheaded by Councilmember Delia Jasso

Genie the Giraffe

Organizations, schools, corporations, etc.,

Geographical Area

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Training Component

Review of City Ordinance

Consent Forms

Safety Training Paint Disposal

Abatement Log and

or Photos

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A New Approach

While the enhanced enforcement and abatementprograms will help, these efforts representsticks in changing behavior

National best practices suggest carrots can bean important addition to these efforts

The concept is to harness the creative energy ofsome of the violators and show them a differentpathOne where they can express themselves legally

One where can maybe even make some money

This carrot approach does not replacetraditional enforcement measures

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A New Partnership

The Graffiti Arts Project is a collaborative effort between theCity and known graffiti artists. It offers artists alternatives to

random and destructive graffiti like:

- free walls

- competitions- opportunities for legitimate employment

- publicity for their talents

And the city gets pledges by the artists to cease all other

tagging and to work to make it cool to be legal

Other cities like Toronto, Phoenix, and Venice, California use

similar programs.

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Ben Eine Video

Dallas businessman John Barr interviews formerunderground London tagger Ben Eine

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Alternatives For Artists Under the

Graffiti Arts Project

Free Walls Carefully selected walls where any

artist or tagger may put up any piece of art or

decoration without fear of police intervention.

City-sanctioned competitions and opportunities

to place controlled graffiti art

on public and private property.

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Pilot Project

Dallas Windfest May 12, 2012

Selected graffiti artists were given concrete wallspace under the Commerce Street viaduct

during the city-sponsored Windfest. Their

efforts were well received and generated many

favorable comments.

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Donations

Mark Cuban - $100,000 received for supplies

and materials related to graffiti abatement

Establishing Community Sponsorships

Opportunity to donate either cash or purchase

items on our wish list

New Website www.graffitidallas.com

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http://www.graffitidallas.com/http://www.graffitidallas.com/


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Next Steps

Competition this fall at Farmers Market to usegraffiti-style art on eight pillars in main market

area.

Artists will submit proposals to the Friends of

the Farmers Market and best designs will be

approved for painting the pillars.

Small cash award and free publicity for artists.

Dallas gets promises from the artists not to tag.31


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Reminder

The Dallas Graffiti Arts Program seeks to redirectthe talent and energy of known artists andoffenders from traditional illegal tagging to a city-approved program to enhance our city and reduce

random, destructive graffiti.

It is a supplement to, NOT a substitute for,traditional law enforcement and city restoration of

vandalized properties.

And it effectively leverages community volunteersto abate destructive graffiti

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Specific Project Goals

Use new enforcement tactics against those who insist

on illegal tagging outside this program

Maintain effective abatement through new

partnerships to restore vandalized properties

Provide artists an alternative

to illicit tagging and thereby

reduce the level of randomgraffiti in our city.

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QUESTIONS?

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Dallas Graffiti Arts Project

Documents

Transcript of Dallas Graffiti Arts Project