Attached please find Sgt. Duncan's first Graffiti progress report. I believe that you will all be as favorable impressed as I am with the information contained. (I've had to cut and paste--if you e-mail Sgt. Duncan, he also has color, CodeFor maps that I'm sure he would send you.."[EMAIL PROTECTED]") Susan Young, Trash Lady (No more today, I promise!) GRAFFITI TASK FORCE QUARTERLY REPORT (08/01/2000 - 10/31/2000) Date: 11/14/2000 Task Force Members, As promised here is the first of many Graffiti Task Force quarterly reports. The Task Force has been very busy since Aug 1 in developing a simple and productive graffiti reporting, tracking, and removal system. Even though we had some set backs, I do believe that we are heading in the right direction. Attached you will find a Codefor map of your precinct, call load received by the graffiti hotline, the updated graffiti top ten list, and the cost of removal. The first phase of the new Graffiti reporting system was to switch the graffiti hotline and webpage over to the Minneapolis Police Department by Aug 1, 2000. I am proud to state that we met that deadline. This service is providing citizen with a proficient and simple way to report graffiti. The second phase, photographing and entering police reports, had it's set back in the beginning due to the call load and lack of resources to handle the call load. We are currently behind in photographing and entering graffiti reports by two weeks (about 100 reports behind). This problem is currently being corrected with the addition of a full-time support technician and the purchase of five digital cameras from a block grant. These five camera will be distributed to the Police Departments Community Service Officers (CSO) at each precinct. The third phase of the system is the removal of the graffiti. This again has been slowed due to the set back in phase two and the distribution of the removal information. The phase two setback has been corrected and we are currently working on making the distribution of removal information more efficient. Currently Solid Waste Department, which handles non-sensitive surfaces, receives the information automatically when the police report are entered in the system. Solid Waste is currently caught up on all graffiti removal that they have received. At this time we are working on getting the Inspections Department, which handles sensitive surfaces, automated. The Inspections Department is also caught up with their assigned graffiti removal. The Minneapolis Police Department has been very successful in tracking and arresting graffiti vandals. During this quarter we have made 51 arrest of graffiti vandals and conducted five search warrants. We have received several tips from citizens on graffiti vandals, since the inception of this new program. We are currently working on developing work teams in the areas of enforcement, education, removal, and prosecution. The teams will be made up of City employees and Citizen in a joint effort to develop goals and strategies in combating graffiti. Please feel free to contact me with any comments or if you would like to see additional information to this report. The next report will be sent to you the first week of February. Thanks for all your support in the area of graffiti enforcement and removal. Sincerely, Sgt. Richard L. Duncan Graffiti Coordinator (612) 673-5722
