For Immediate Release
May 23, 2008
Falvey Christine
(415) 554-6931
***PRESS RELEASE***
Graffiti Vandals Attack 24th Street in City's Mission District
City encourages residents to provide information on graffiti activity
San Francisco, CA – More than 100 tags were discovered along 24th Street from Potrero Avenue to Mission Street on Thursday. The Department of Public Works' (DPW) has documented the evidence for police and is now cleaning up the tags in advance of the City's annual Carnaval Parade and Festival this weekend.
The department is encouraging the public to call 9-1-1 if they witness a graffiti act in progress and to call 3-1-1- or log on to www.sfgov.org/dpw to take advantage of the City's new Graffiti Rewards Fund program. Mayor Gavin Newsom and District Attorney Kamala Harris initiated the Graffiti Rewards Fund to provide $250 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of graffiti vandals. Members of the public should not confront vandals, but should call the police.
Community involvement is critical if we are to win this war on graffiti, said Mohammed Nuru, Deputy Director of Operations. This is criminal behavior and taggers need to be aware that the city, the courts and the community will not tolerate this behavior, he added.
In 2007, police made 238 graffiti arrests, an increase from the 139 arrests made the previous year and DPW crews are working seven days a week to remove graffiti from San Francisco's streets and sidewalks. A 2000-2001 Civil Grand Jury report estimated the total cost to the City of graffiti damages and removal at $22 million per year without considering the costs borne by private property owners.
