Central Park Neighborhood Association

News

Graffitti Hotline discontinued

The Graffiti Hotline number (360) 696-8033 is being discontinued by the Vancouver Police Department due to lack of staffing resources to monitor the hotline and oversee the program.

The Graffiti Taskforce formed 3 ½ years ago to address the issue of graffiti in the community and the hotline was developed as a resource where citizens that noticed graffiti could leave a message with the location and description of the graffiti. A volunteer or staff member would retrieve the messages and for a short time information was also gathered and forwarded to the Gang Task Force. In addition to leaving the hotline message, citizens were also asked to make a police report if graffiti was on their property, this process has not changed. This program did not include graffiti removal, except on the public right of way.

With the discontinuation of the hotline, citizens who notice graffiti on their property and have no suspect information are being asked to make a police report over the phone or in person at any of the Vancouver Police precincts during regular business hours. For graffiti in progress call 9-1-1 immediately. For graffiti on a public right of way citizens are asked to contact the City of Vancouver Operations Center at (360) 696-8177.

If graffiti appears on private property, the property owner should attempt to remove it within 24 hours if possible. Some other tips to deter graffiti vandals include: using special paint products and surfaces that do not allow paints to stick, landscaping to discourage graffiti, and if graffiti becomes problematic in specific areas, organizing a community cleanup effort. Currently, private companies are the only source for removal of graffiti if a property owner is unable to remove it themselves.

For more information on this please contact Marion Swendsen, Community Policing Specialist, East Precinct at (360) 735-8770 or Deputy Chief Janet Thiessen, (360) 696-8066.