Members of the Kent Downtown Partnership are spending their Friday afternoons armed with paint brushes and spray paint to cover graffiti that has shown up in the downtown core.
Barb Smith, KDP’s executive director, said at a KDP safety and security meeting several weeks ago there was a discussion about a recent spike in graffiti.
“Several years ago we were pretty good about getting right out there and getting it covered up,” she said. “We haven’t had any (graffiti) – very, very little – for a long time.”
But recently, large works of unwanted art have been popping up on the exterior walls of businesses in alleys.
“We have decided for a while we are just going to plan on meeting on Friday, and if there is anything, whoever is available will got out and try to remove it,” Smith said.
The goal is to cover graffiti within 48 hours. Smith said she hopes cleaning up the graffiti quickly will deter would-be taggers.
“We want to encourage people who like to be artistic to find another location, because we don’t plan on leaving their art up for very long,” she said.
John Pagel, community education specialist for the Kent Police Department, said there has been a recent increase in graffiti citywide.
The city’s graffiti removal is typically done by inmates from the city jail, a Tagging Neutralization Team – made up of volunteers – or partner organizations, such as KDP, Pagel said.
“We definitely try to get it cleaned up as soon as possible,” Pagel said. “When (taggers) they see their name they feel emboldened to do it more.”
Removing the graffiti will hopefully make downtown more inviting, Smith said.
“When you see graffiti, you feel uncomfortable. You assume that there is gang activity going on whether there is or isn’t, and it doesn’t show much pride in your community if you leave it up,” she said. “A very high percentage of the graffiti you see, you automatically assume has to do with gangs, but in reality it isn’t. It is really just tagging.”
Downtown business owners share KDP’s vision of a graffiti-free area, Smith said.
“I am really proud of most of our businesses because they are really good about removing it,” Smith said. “If the property owner can’t, won’t, lives too far away, doesn’t have a project manager, we’ll get permission (to clean up the graffiti). … We do try to let the businesses do it, but they are running a business. Sometimes they just don’t have time. It’s the least of their worries.”
Smith said she appreciates KDP members’ commitment to preserving the downtown area.
“They will go out in the rain if that’s what it will take,” she said. “They care about downtown and are willing to roll up their sleeves.”
KDP has considered establishing a designated place to allow graffiti artists to display their work.
“We don’t know if it’s going to happen, but we want to at least explore that,” Smith said.
Pagel said the police department relies on the community’s help in reporting graffiti. If someone catches a tagger in the act, they should report it immediately.
“They (community members) should always have their eyes open,” he said. “If they see this (tagging) going on, they should call 911.”
To report graffiti in downtown Kent or to help KDP with cleanup efforts, call 253-813-6976 or email Smith at barbaras@kentdowntown.org.
To report graffiti in other parts of the city, call 253-856-4723. To get involved in the city’s graffiti removal, email Pagel at jpagel@kentwa.gov.
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