Penhold peace officers are encouraging the community to “keep it clean” in an attempt to deter graffiti.
“We're trying to make the community aware,” said Dana Jones, a Penhold peace officer.
She said graffiti is starting to become a problem in Penhold. Cory Kingsfield, the second community peace officer, said the main pedestrian corridor through town has become a hot spot.
As a result of the growing graffiti concerns, the peace officers have put together information on graffiti prevention.
Jones said they're going to use education, youth engagement, removal and focusing on the hot spots to help prevention.
They also have tips to protect property from vandalism which include improving exterior lighting, restricting access to potential graffiti walls, for example by planting large shrubs, cutting down on roof access by moving things like Dumpsters away from the walls and deterring foot traffic by using fences or other barriers to control entrances and exits.
“We're looking to promote keeping it clean,” Jones said.
“If your property looks well maintained it can be a deterrent,” Kingsfield said.
Part of the engagement can be curriculum in the schools that promote education and awareness, Jones said.
Speedy removal is another deterrent and the officers said they can give advice to vandalism victims about what products remove graffiti. Jones said they hope to eventually offer removal kits but the kits need to be approved by council first.
“It should be removed within 24 hours of being discovered,” Jones said.
The town's graffiti bylaw includes fines for failing to comply with a graffiti removal order. The fine is $150 for each day the breach of the order continues.
The bylaw fines for placing graffiti on property start at $500 for a first offence and move up to $1,000 for the second offence within a year of the first. The third offence within one year is $2,500.
Jones said the RCMP can address graffiti concerns as well.
To contact the Town of Penhold community peace officers for more information on graffiti prevention or removal, call 403-886-4567.
