The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office kicks off a new community service program aimed at reversing the damage committed by graffiti. Dubbed the “Graffiti Response Program,” it uses kids who have committed minor crimes. They volunteer to perform service hours through a Sheriff’s Office diversion program. It offers them a way to perform community service to avoid criminal prosecution. This helps to alleviate the over burdening of the court system with minor first time offenses while offering the kids a second chance.
The volunteers will work off community service hours, determined by the program, by cleaning and/or painting structures which have been damage and defaced by graffiti. Graffiti has become a growing problem in several areas in Pinellas County and is in some cases gang related. F.A.S.T. was instrumental in bring this issue to the attention of the Sheriff's Office, and the program was formed as a result.
Most property owners are quick to fix the damage themselves; however there are those properties that are abandoned that remain as eye sores to the rest of the community. These are the properties the program hopes to target. Although it is not limited to only abandon properties.
The program can also help some homeowners who request the assistance of the program as well. In one case a homeowner is providing the paint and supplies and the volunteers the labor. “We hope the program will deter kids from committing crimes or joining gangs while at the same time provide a service to the community. One which the community will be able to see and appreciate immediately,” said Lieutenant Keith Somers.
The program currently has 10 volunteers, and on this Saturday they will begin the work of wiping out graffiti in the community. They will be working in the areas limited to the unincorporated Pinellas County, Sheriff’s Office contract cities and the City of Clearwater. If you live in these areas and you have or know of a property that is damaged by graffiti, report it to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office at 727-582-6200.
Some of the kids involved may not be able to be photographed. Please check with the on-site supervisor.
The following is the itinerary for the event:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Graffiti Removal Project
Itinerary for November 7th, 2009
0745-0830 hrs Briefing at ASB with participants and parents.
0900-1000 hrs 520 Douglas Ave- Dunedin (old Martini Club)- Graffiti
west side of building. (paint supplied)
1015-1100 hrs 230 Milwaukee Ave- Dunedin (residence)- graffiti on
wall southeast side of residence near sidewalk.
1115-1145 hrs BREAK
1200-1245 hrs 1688 Main Street- Dunedin (Amberlea Subdivision Wall) Graffiti is on wall behind Carquest Auto Parts.
(paint supplied)
1300-1400 hrs 3486 East Lake Road- East Lake (Verizon Building)
Graffiti is on east, south, and west sides of building.
(paint supplied)
**Alternate location**- 10 Squire Court- Dunedin (residential privacy fence) Graffiti is on exterior south privacy fence facing Union Street.