People are being urged to help identify graffiti ‘tags’ as part of a campaign by Northamptonshire Police to rid the county of the unwanted ‘artwork’, tackle anti-social behaviour and criminal damage.
Operation Illustration is the brainchild of a police community support officer (PCSO) in Wellingborough, Phil Wane, whose work with the Safer Community Team in the town has involved tracking graffiti writers and bringing offenders to justice.
His work is now being replicated by PCSOs across Northamptonshire in a bid to help tackle the problem.
From May, people will be able to help police identity graffiti ‘tags’ on Northamptonshire Police’s webstie and Facebook page as well as using #NameThatTag on Twitter.
PCSO Wane said: “There is a clear link between areas of graffiti and anti-social behaviour such as littering and drinking and a perception that young people ‘hanging around’ are causing trouble.
“Graffiti is defined as ‘writing or drawings that are scribbled, scratched, or sprayed illicitly on a wall or other surface in a public place’ and graffiti writers use spray paint, stickers, stencils and pencils to mark their territory.
“There is almost an acceptance that graffiti is a way of life, that it won’t go away, that there is little point addressing the problem.
“There is a clear impression that nobody cares and we have to address that if we want to make the areas where we live safer and more pleasant places to be.
“We have to work more effectively with our partners to tackle the problem and by taking an education and enforcement message into our schools and out to a young audience via social media.”
The campaign - which can be followed on Twitter via @Op_Illustration - aims to bring in more information about graffiti and increase detections and community resolutions around anti-social behaviour.
For more information email OpIllustration@northants.police.uk