Graffiti in Omaha......How can we solve this problem? (Elmwood: job, home)

[Happygolucky]

What are your thoughts?

[Smileyman]

Once Fahey is recalled everything in the city will improve.

[Victor 13]

Thoughts? Frustration. Anger.

I live around the corner near the brown restaurant-bar that got tagged. It has really gotten out of control. Last week on the way home from work, around 1am, I spotted 3 male youths lurking around at 20th and Castelar. I slowed down and looked in my rear view mirror, and noticed two run across the street while the other flashed a pen light twice. I called 911 and reported my suspicions. The next day the red bricked business had been marked on some more.

How can we solve it? Continue to report suspicious activity and hope we don't get asked a million questions by the 911 operator, like, "what makes you think they are going to tag a biulding?" " Are they are armed? Gee, like I would know? Am I going to stop and confront the punks, "Hey guys, I think you are up to no-good. By the way, are you armed?" Not going to happen in todays society.

Stiffer penalities and fines to the offenders might help.

The public being more aware and more involved would help, and not a "live and let live" attitude. This has got to be a combined police and community effort and get involved.

[tpabes]

Unfortunetly its not just an Omaha sign. You can see graffiti on rural stop signs out here in central Nebraska. Probably no tagging, just immature individuals, but I have to agree that the best way to prevent it is probably public involvement. The police unfortunetly have bigger crimes to contend with.

Years ago I saw a Saturday Night Live scetch where they solved the graffiti problem by writing sucks under their name or tag, perhaps that would work

[roger6087]

The city needs to hire a crew of painters to go out everyday and paint over the graffiti. That's what we do, the mayor wanted to cut off their thumbs but that didn't fly.

[Dave1215]

Originally Posted by roger6087

The city needs to hire a crew of painters to go out everyday and paint over the graffiti. That's what we do, the mayor wanted to cut off their thumbs but that didn't fly.

Omaha actually has one of those... but over our winters they can't get out so the graffiti accumulates...

[star_gazer]

The city of Omaha also just passed an ordinance which requires that you be at least 18 years old to buy spray paint.

In addition, penalties for minors caught defacing property with paint face a minimum 120 hours of community service... and at least 3 days in jail for adults plus community service.

[kdbrich]

Originally Posted by tpabes

Years ago I saw a Saturday Night Live scetch where they solved the graffiti problem by writing sucks under their name or tag, perhaps that would work

You first. I'd rather not get shot over something like that.

[ShawJ]

I found pictures of people on facebook doing Grafitti in Elmwood park in daylight. Really makes me mad...

[pablo-me]

We had some grafitti appear in our neighborhood. City hall said they'd notify the grafitti unit, but added they were backed up. No problem, I painted over it immediately and let them know, so they would recognize the location. About a week later, the city came out and did a nice job covering it up. No other grafitti has appeared there in the 3 years since.

I think citizens taking immediate action sends a clear message to offenders; "You are wasting your paint money in this neighborhood".