City hires former Langford officer

ThereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of pressure on ColwoodB次元官网网址檚 new ant-graffiti chief.

In response to a marked increase in tagging throughout the city, council approved hiring a third bylaw officer on a six month, part-time contract with the sole focus of reducing graffiti. Whether or not that contract is extended will depend on if he can make a dent in the high-price of vandalism.

Between January and June this year, David Cameron elementary was damaged by graffiti on 17 separate occasions, and tagging caused an estimated $10,000 in damages to city property.

Colwood senior bylaw officer Kevin Atkinson said if anyone is going to catch an offender in the next half-year, his new hire Phil Williams has the best shot.

Williams helped catch several high-profile taggers when he worked as a community safety officer in Langford from 2008 to 2010.

B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 already trained and just hit the ground running,B次元官网网址� said Atkinson, noting that graffiti was too big an issue for the bylaw department to take on without an additional officer.

B次元官网网址淧eople want to see their tax dollars at work, and thatB次元官网网址檚 what officer Williams is going to do,B次元官网网址� Atkinson added.

In his first two weeks on the job, Williams recruited volunteers for his first B次元官网网址済raffiti paint out,B次元官网网址� scheduled for Nov. 26, to paint over tags.

He worked out a deal with Rona to donate the supplies for the paint-out, and the company will also offer discounts to residents removing graffiti on their property.

B次元官网网址淕etting rid of what (graffiti) is already there is the first step, so taggers donB次元官网网址檛 get the recognition of having their tag around for a long time,B次元官网网址� Williams explained.

Colwood parks staff have been vigilant about removing graffiti from public property, such as street signs, but taggers also hit private homes and businesses and provincial property, such as hydro poles and bus shelters.

B次元官网网址淲e need everybody working together to get the problem under control,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l never get rid of graffiti completely, but we can get to the source of it by catching some of the prolific offenders, which would send the message to other taggers that they canB次元官网网址檛 do that here.B次元官网网址�

Williams wouldnB次元官网网址檛 reveal exactly how he catches taggers, but he said the public can make it easier for him by reporting tags as soon as they see them.

And parents on youth should be aware of what their children are doing, he said.

B次元官网网址淧arents can be held responsible for their childB次元官网网址檚 activity,B次元官网网址� Williams said, citing a precedent-setting court case in Langford, where the parents had to pay for part of the damages from their sonB次元官网网址檚 tagging spree around the city.

B次元官网网址淧arents need to watch for the warning signs B次元官网网址� if their youth are going out late at night or stocking up on paint, that could be an indication,B次元官网网址� he said.

HeB次元官网网址檚 also encouraging businesses not to sell spay paint to youth. And heB次元官网网址檒l help council develop stronger bylaws to fine taggers.

Eventually, he hopes the cost of the graffiti abatement program will be shared between West Shore municipalities.

B次元官网网址淭aggers donB次元官网网址檛 stop at municipal boundaries,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f the program is successful in Colwood, IB次元官网网址檇 like to see the neighbouring cities join in.B次元官网网址�

To report a tag or to be a part of a future paint out event, call Colwood city hall at 250-478-5999 and ask for Phil Williams or the bylaw department.

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