Peoria Operates An Aggressive Grafitti Removal Program

Graffiti used to be a sign that gangs were in your area and were used to
let other gangs know who's "turf" an area is. Today that's most likely
not the case. In most instances graffiti is the work of "taggers". These
are people who feel they have the need and the right to express
themselves on any surface they can find; walls, signs, trailers, train
cars; any place people will see their work. Well they are wrong,
graffiti is a crime!

The City of Peoria has a very effective and aggressive graffiti removal
team that works with property owners to get graffiti removed or painted
over in 48 hours. The city cannot remove graffiti from private property
without the owner's permission. If the owner does not remove or paint
over the graffiti, does not give the city permission to remove the
graffiti or does not respond to the contact attempts by the graffiti
removal team, the matter is referred to Peoria Code Enforcement for
action.

While the Peoria Code Enforcement, Police and Community Services
Departments work closely together in dealing with graffiti, the problem
can't be solved without the help of the community.

If you see graffiti please call the Graffiti Hotline at 623-773-7094 and
report the location so it can be checked. If it is reported quickly, the
city can remove it quickly. You can also make a difference in stopping
this criminal activity by calling 9-1-1 when you see subjects in the act
- taggers face from 4 month in jail and a $750.00 fine to 3 years in
prison if arrested and convicted depending of value of loss. Tips
leading to taggers can be made anonymously.

Graffiti has a negative impact on neighborhoods and the entire
community. Only by working together can we make a difference in
preventing and stopping graffiti. Remember graffiti, it's a crime, NOT
ART!