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Report & Prevent Graffiti

Use our online form to Report Graffiti!

Graffiti is a crime that is a chronic metro-wide problem, and several areas of Lakewood have recently seen a surge in graffiti.

The first step Lakewood residents should take to combat it is to report graffiti:

• If you see offenders in the process of painting graffiti, call Lakewood Police at 911. Also report suspicious subjects in your neighborhood. Police contact with suspicious subjects is a good way to identify possible suspects.
• Use the City's online form to report graffiti that has already happened.
• You can also phone in a report by calling 303-987-7111.

Lakewood Municipal Court operates the City’s graffiti removal program for public areas such as poles, signs, sidewalks, utility boxes and park structures. The program uses defendants who are sentenced in Municipal Court to clean and paint over graffiti in public areas. Citizens who see graffiti on public or private property are encouraged to call the Cityat 303-987-7111.

A City law requires the removal of graffiti on private property within five days from an owner receiving a written notice from Lakewood.

There is no simple solution to ending graffiti, but there are some proven strategies that help reduce its rate of occurrence. Those strategies include:

• Click to Report Graffiti with our online form!
• Removing it immediately whenever possible. This sends a clear message of intolerance, and it robs offenders of the opportunity to brag about their work or to claim territory. Studies show that removal within 24 to 48 hours results in lower rates of reoccurrence.
• Limit access to graffiti prone areas by using fencing or hostile landscaping. Here are some landscaping suggestions that may work:
• English Ivy (Hedera helix) is a good climber that will attach to vertical walls.  This ivy will grow best on North or East facing facades of buildings.
• Boston Ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata) is another good climber that will cover a wall fairly quickly. Same cultural requirements, an East or North facing wall will do best.
• Pyracantha (Pyracantha angustifolia) is an evergreen woody shrub.  It flowers in spring, produces colorful orange berries and has nasty thorns all over the plant; use an upright variety like 'Yukon Belle'.
• Desert Holly (Mahonia haematocarpa) is broad, evergreen shrub.  It has blue-green spiny leaves that are not a lot of fun to even prune.  Very drought tolerant once established.  This plant will love to be on a south or west facing facade, but will do well with any orientation.
• Climbing Roses (Rosa species) are all very good at establishing quickly and are full of nasty thorns.  Many climbing roses can get to 10' high once mature at a site.
• Add or improve lighting on you property. Business owners can increase security through cameras, a “business watch” program or security guards.
• Some research suggests that walls with existing quality artwork, not associated with any taggers or gang members, is less likely to be marked up than a blank wall.  If the artwork consists of advertising, the city’s code enforcement office should be contacted first to make sure there are no prohibitions.

Methods for removing graffiti vary depending on the surface and material used, and property owners should consult with a graffiti removal specialist for the best way to remove graffiti. Some tips are:

• Painting is a low-cost removal method but be sure to match the paint to the surface because patchwork paint can invite more graffiti.
• Chemical removal typically employs solvents. Some advise using mineral spirits on metal surfaces and WD-40 for plastic. Paint thinners, however, should not be used on vinyl siding or plastics.
• Power washing can remove graffiti from all surfaces, and an abrasive such as baking soda or fine sand can be added to remove a thin layer of the surface.
• Scraping with a razor blade can remove painted graffiti from glass, and wood surfaces can be sanded. Light rubbing with an ultra-fine steel or bronze wool pad also can be used on plastic surfaces.