Is the City Losing the Fight Against Graffiti?

[Charlie Page]

I have again reported the graffiti at Kauffman Park Playground, as well as Cove Park Playground, via http://onelakewood.com/ReportProblem and/or email. I have heard no further response from what has already been posted.

Matt - I have not received a response either since I submitted the graffiti report via the City’s website this past Sunday. I appreciate your follow up with City officials.

[marklingm]

You know this thread is nearly as troubling as the community. Since I went down there, I have been assured it was not real, it was not a real as I said, that Matt and I did this, that it is to be expected, that this is normal, that public art should be embraced, that how can anyone blame this administration, and on and on and on and on.

It is insane, how many people are willing to hold anyone accountable except the people
that own, run and operate the park.

Jim,

I heard the same thing today. I guess we will need to go to the video ...





Matt

[Jim O'Bryan]

You know this thread is nearly as troubling as the community. Since I went down there, I have been assured it was not real, it was not a real as I said, that Matt and I did this, that it is to be expected, that this is normal, that public art should be embraced, that how can anyone blame this administration, and on and on and on and on.

It is insane, how many people are willing to hold anyone accountable except the people
that own, run and operate the park.

Jim,

I heard the same thing today. I guess we will need to go to the video ...





Matt

.

[Betsy Voinovich]

You know this thread is nearly as troubling as the community. Since I went down there, I have been assured it was not real, it was not a real as I said, that Matt and I did this, that it is to be expected, that this is normal, that public art should be embraced, that how can anyone blame this administration, and on and on and on and on.

It is insane, how many people are willing to hold anyone accountable except the people that own, run and operate the park.

Jim,

I heard the same thing today. I guess we will need to go to the video ...





Matt

.

Did you guys do this one?

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I think the point of this thread is Jim's above quote:

"It is insane, how many people are willing to hold anyone accountable except the people that own, run and operate the park."


I have had a change of heart since posting that families would be willing to go down to the park and clean it ourselves if it meant being able to keep the park for families. Not that I don't think this is true. And I think if we were all on the same page, in a city that was completely strapped, with no resources to spend on anything except police and fire, and clean streets, we could put a volunteer committee together to do this--- these are the kind of families we have here, proactive, community-minded, engaged. We are blessed with the families we have. We can take care of our community ourselves if we have to, even if it means shoveling our own streets, cleaning off graffiti, or putting together volunteer groups to occupy the parks--maybe group picnics! if any money could be allocated for picnic tables-- to let potential graffiti writers know that that's not what are parks and public property are for.

The point is that there are resources. How many hundreds of thousands have just been committed to beautify the lights? Light poles? on Detroit, so they match Clifton's? I can't remember the details. To find out details, read Chris Bindel's last article regarding City Council in the Lakewood Observer, or read the one where we committed 15 thousand to build a gazebo in Lakewood Park. Instead of fixing some of the equipment that has fallen into disrepair for our kids.

We can beautify our lights, build gazebos, and spend God knows how much on Spooky Pooch-- profits of which don't go to families or kids, and not much to animals, to print and hang banners, pay to have streets closed, so we can parade with our dressed up animals for the Guinness Book of World Records, and to profit vaguely Lakewood Alive? DownToWn Lakewood? This is what Lakewood families would choose to do? What Lakewood taxpayers would choose to do? Who made this choice to allocate our resources in this way? Isn't this frivolous in the face of what we really need our funds for? Does this attract people to Lakewood? Is it worth it, versus what visitors see when they go to our parks and there is nasty childish graffit all over our chidren's equipment? Some people may be completely put off by the idea of parading animals in human clothes, for 15 dollars a dog. It's fun! But it is worth it? No-one would be put off by a shiny clean family park.

We can pay for this but we can't get someone to come to the park, and clean up the graffiti? We DO have resources. As one frequent Deck poster pointed out to me, "Our FAMILIES should be planning things like scavenger hunts in the park, or Greyhound Days, or the idea someone had to have a skating rink in Lakewood Park, with hot chocolate, this winter. They shouldn't be headed out with scrubbers and steel wool when they pay taxes for that." And they pay taxes for a better job than terrible scratched up equipment and big smeary globs of gray dried ink left all over everything that looks worse than the original graffiti in the sense that it makes everything look so run-down. Why does the City seem intent on allowing some parts of Lakewood to look like slums?

We have a beautiful city and an amazing population. Resources are tight but used correctly, we could truly be the cool, walkable, distinctive place that others think they see--- until they go to the park across from the library.

The way to fix this would have to be appealing to our Council members and mayor. They are the ones who decide how are tax dollars are used, and they are elected by us to represent us.

Betsy Voinovich

[Valerie Molinski]

I have had a change of heart since posting that families would be willing to go down to the park and clean it ourselves if it meant being able to keep the park for families. Not that I don't think this is true. And I think if we were all on the same page, in a city that was completely strapped, with no resources to spend on anything except police and fire, and clean streets, we could put a volunteer committee together to do this--- these are the kind of families we have here, proactive, community-minded, engaged. We are blessed with the families we have.

This is precisely why I am a member of Friends of Madison Park. We made the change we wanted to see at a time when the city could not devote as much monetary or man power to the park. Friends of Kauffman Park have done the same.

We can't do it all. We move slowly. We have no money either or enough man power, but we are trying.

[Jim O'Bryan]

We can't do it all. We move slowly. We have no money either or enough man power, but we are trying.

Valerie/Betsy

This is not holding up the light on inquisition to the fabulous volunteers that seem more and more to be
powering this community, but to City Hall. City Hall's number one job for Lakewood is the delivery of
services that help keep us clean and safe. This city has raised itself up wonderfully on all of the volunteers from LakewoodAlive, to the Lakewood Observer, from Friends of the Library to Friends of
Madison Park, Kauffman Park, Lakewood Park etc. You and other volunteers cannot be expected to
do it all. What ever volunteers are willing o do can only be seen as a wonderful plus.

This afternoon I had the pleasure of having a wonderful lunch with Ex-Mayor Tom George. At one point
I asked, "Did the city have a zero tolerance on graffiti?" His response was, "Yes we did, and a city has
to have a zero tolerance policy, otherwise it gets out of hand." He then went on explaining how he
handled it.

We all, me included needed to do a little more, but the city really needs to pick up its game to. Joe
Beno and his crew have done some really good things, and for the most part are on top of things. But
this is just no rules on graffiti anymore is unacceptable for many reasons. Ed FitzGerald
put a bounty on taggers, I cannot find one example of where anyone was paid, or that the
program had any positive effects outside of a headline in the paper. When I spoke with
council members that were not around during the George days, none, believe there is any
graffiti laws on the books, what alone a zero tolerance.

.

[Edward Favre]

"...none, believe there is any graffiti laws on the books..."

Just as a point of reference, there have been for many years adequate laws on the books to deal with graffiti. They can be found in the Ohio Revised Code, Lakewood Codified Ordinances, and Lakewood Park Ordinances. These include, but are not limited to, Criminal Damaging or Endangering, Criminal Mischief, and Disorderly Conduct. There is no need to recreate the wheel.

Regardless of who cleans it up, it still needs to be reported, documented/photographed, investigated and cuplits caught and charged.

[marklingm]

I have again reported the graffiti at Kauffman Park Playground, as well as Cove Park Playground, via http://onelakewood.com/ReportProblem and/or email. I have heard no further response from what has already been posted.

Matt - I have not received a response either since I submitted the graffiti report via the City’s website this past Sunday. I appreciate your follow up with City officials.

Charlie,

I never heard back from City Hall (see below) as to my follow-up reports; however, I did go to the Kauffman Park Playground last week. Someone has either “painted over” or “scratched/sanded off” most of the graffiti from the playground equipment.

I reported the “new” graffiti at http://onelakewood.com/ReportProblem. I asked that I be contacted via email regarding the resolution on the online form.

I will note that Mike Summers did call me back on multiple occasions but, due to more pressing family issues, I was unable to reach him to discuss my city parks playground graffiti concerns. The ball is in my court to follow-up with Mike, personally.

Matt

[Shawn Juris]

http://www.cleveland.com/sunpostherald/ ... _crac.html
http://www.cleveland.com/sunpostherald/ ... esses.html

Here are two articles that seems to summarize last year's issues with widespread tagging. Naturally the details provided by Mr. Favre are right on with what I have been advised of by officers when they addressed a group of business owners last summer.
Not sure who exactly you were talking to in reference to councilmembers not around during the George admin, but I for one have no doubt that our departments (police and public works) work hard to address these issues and that we are as prepared legislatively as we were before. Graffiti was far more widespread and with the solid police work headed up by neighborhood officers and the rest of the force, a clear message was sent. Now, clearly there is some further cleanup and possibly monitoring necessary to maintain Kaufmann Park. These are valid concerns. However, for sake of perspective this park has had the same issues going back years. This is not a new thing and if I recall, it was under the George administration that the possibility of selling off the park was being discussed. The attractive nuisance of an unused Little Links has been removed and the courts are well supervised and from most accounts are moving in the right direction. There have been major investments in new equipment for the parks throughout the city and I expect that Kaufmann is due. We'll see how that can be accomplished. In the meantime, if anyone wants to start rallying up some grant requests, I'll be happy to put you in touch with some folks that can help.

[marklingm]

http://www.cleveland.com/sunpostherald/index.ssf/2010/03/lakewood_police_officials_crac.html
http://www.cleveland.com/sunpostherald/ ... esses.html

Here are two articles that seems to summarize last year's issues with widespread tagging. Naturally the details provided by Mr. Favre are right on with what I have been advised of by officers when they addressed a group of business owners last summer.
Not sure who exactly you were talking to in reference to councilmembers not around during the George admin, but I for one have no doubt that our departments (police and public works) work hard to address these issues and that we are as prepared legislatively as we were before. Graffiti was far more widespread and with the solid police work headed up by neighborhood officers and the rest of the force, a clear message was sent. Now, clearly there is some further cleanup and possibly monitoring necessary to maintain Kaufmann Park. These are valid concerns. However, for sake of perspective this park has had the same issues going back years. This is not a new thing and if I recall, it was under the George administration that the possibility of selling off the park was being discussed. The attractive nuisance of an unused Little Links has been removed and the courts are well supervised and from most accounts are moving in the right direction. There have been major investments in new equipment for the parks throughout the city and I expect that Kaufmann is due. We'll see how that can be accomplished. In the meantime, if anyone wants to start rallying up some grant requests, I'll be happy to put you in touch with some folks that can help.

Shawn,

Maybe it is just thread drift, but I'm not sure to whom your reply is directed.

I'm not going to repeat my views on this issue (see above) but would note that City Hall seems to now be timely addressing this issue as my most recent report regarding graffiti at the Kauffman Park Playground at http://onelakewood.com/ReportProblem (see above) was addressed and fixed that same day according to my follow-up email from the Division of Parks and Public Property.

For right now, I am content with assuming that City Hall will maintain its city parks and playgrounds and using http://onelakewood.com/ReportProblem as a way to report the same.

Matt

[Shawn Juris]

Matt,
I do not take issue with what you have posted in this thread. Calling attention to issues that need to be address is fair. Directing people to the proper channels to address their concern is great.

[Jim O'Bryan]

http://www.cleveland.com/sunpostherald/index.ssf/2010/03/lakewood_police_officials_crac.html
http://www.cleveland.com/sunpostherald/ ... esses.html

Here are two articles that seems to summarize last year's issues with widespread tagging. Naturally the details provided by Mr. Favre are right on with what I have been advised of by officers when they addressed a group of business owners last summer.

Shawn

Here another article from last year.

http://www.lakewoodobserver.com/read/2010/04/06/city-proposal-would-give-reward-money
Do you have any idea how much reward money has been paid out and how successful this
program was?

And the Observer discussion on graffiti from 2009:
http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=7964&p=60770&hilit=scene+bullock#p60770



.

[marklingm]

Shawn,

Thanks for jumping in and engaging Lakewood on this topic. It is appreciated, greatly.

The Lakewood Police Department has had recent retirements/vacancies. Have all of those positions been filled with fulltime police officers? If not, does City Hall have any plans to replace all those police officers or is there, in fact, an LPD hiring freeze - partial or otherwise?

As it relates to this thread, the following is an article excerpt from The Economist:

A PLACE that is covered in graffiti and festooned with rubbish makes people feel uneasy. And with good reason, according to a group of researchers in the Netherlands. Kees Keizer and his colleagues at the University of Groningen deliberately created such settings as a part of a series of experiments designed to discover if signs of vandalism, litter and low-level lawbreaking could change the way people behave. They found that they could, by a lot: doubling the number who are prepared to litter and steal.

***

The researchers’ conclusion is that one example of disorder, like graffiti or littering, can indeed encourage another, like stealing. Dr Kelling was right. The message for policymakers and police officers is that clearing up graffiti or littering promptly could help fight the spread of crime.

The Economist article can be found at http://www.economist.com/node/12630201?story_id=12630201.

Matt

[Betsy Voinovich]

We were walking by the CVS site construction last night on the way to the library, and the kids were wondering why the building was all lit up. It hadn't been before, and I'd already heard some comments about how fun it might be to skateboard in there with a flashlight. (Not my kids!)

On the way back we saw the graffiti. It's painted out now, but we were wondering whether it said, "Give our church back!" or "God has been replaced by pharmaceuticals."

It probably didn't say anything like that.

Betsy Voinovich

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[marklingm]

Based upon the weekly crime reports on other media/news/information outlets, the answer appears to be, “yes.”

But, then again, maybe graffiti falls under the “soft issue” category?