Via Sergeant Jonette Williams, Eighth District Community Coordinator
In recent weeks, members of the 8th District, acting on information received from community members, have made arrests in connection with graffiti in the French Quarter. The issue continues to remain a priority, as officers actively seek individuals committing this act while on patrol. Below you will find information regarding preventing and controlling graffiti, authored by Martin E. Weaver.
The following is an excerpt from a Preservation Brief written for the National Park Service and can be found in its entirety at www.nps.gov :
“Experience shows that prompt removal of graffiti is one of the most effective measures against its recurrence. Graffiti that is not removed quickly tends to attract more graffiti. Often motivated by a need to have their work seen, graffitists tend to be discouraged from repeating their efforts in a location where their work is quickly removed. Graffiti is less likely to occur if graffitists can be clearly seen. It is often recommended that accessible, graffiti-prone areas be illuminated with floodlighting or spotlights. If they are historically appropriate and compatible with historic property, soft barriers in the form of low, possibly thorny, shrubs and bushes or other forms of landscaping and planting may be effective deterrents. Such plantings can make it difficult to reach the property by any route other than the approved secure one.”
We ask that citizens continue to remain vigilant and notify the police of any suspicious activity.