People have come to know that the B次元官网网址楾hree RsB次元官网网址� stand for a call to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

ThereB次元官网网址檚 now a second meaning ascribed to the expression. Conscientious citizens are now being asked to Record, Report and Remove when they run into graffiti.

It involves taking a picture, grabbing a paint brush and informing police.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e empowering residents to adopt a pole or a block or a section of the city where they are going to paint out all the power poles, so they remove all the graffiti,B次元官网网址� said Darb Erickson, VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 downtown programs liaison.

B次元官网网址淚t needs to be addressed with community effort. We canB次元官网网址檛 just expect the city is going to go pay for all of it, whether itB次元官网网址檚 on public or private property.

B次元官网网址淎nd we canB次元官网网址檛 expect necessarily that utilities companies will be as responsive as we want them to be.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 part of a program called Together Against Graffiti, which Victoria adopted in 2011 after seeing it work in Esquimalt.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 about volunteers (making) a statement that theyB次元官网网址檙e not going to stand for graffiti vandalism in their areas,B次元官网网址� Erickson said.

Over the past few months, heB次元官网网址檚 co-ordinated power-pole painting events in eight communities, but anyone interested in covering over graffiti can simply call the city to have all the supplies delivered at any time.

So far, the program has 35 volunteers. About a half dozen have made graffiti removal a personal mission that extends well beyond their immediate vicinity.

Coun. Shellie Gudgeon is one. She can often be seen walking with a can of paint at the ready.

B次元官网网址淎 neighbourhood has to be vigilant,B次元官网网址� she said, fresh from covering tags along Bay Street.

Long before pole-painting parties became a recognized, sanctioned event, she organized unofficial graffiti-painting events in Quadra Village.

She calls the results B次元官网网址減henomenal.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e winning in Quadra Village,B次元官网网址� she said.

When a graffiti tag shows up, itB次元官网网址檚 critical to remove it right away because taggers seek recognition, Gudgeon said.

Twice, she and her husband discovered a graffiti tag scrawled across the entire wall of their business. In both instances, they painted over it by 9 a.m., undoing hours of work by a tagger before many people got the chance to see it.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 discouraging (for the taggers),B次元官网网址� she said.

The Victoria Police Department is also encouraging people to report graffiti by making it easier to do, through its new B次元官网网址楤次元官网网址� tool.

B次元官网网址淲e need the awareness,B次元官网网址� said Const. Chantel Ziegler, who has been appointed to the graffiti file.

Back in 2008, Ziegler noticed the Victoria police didnB次元官网网址檛 distinguish instances of graffiti from other types of mischief. At her request, the policeB次元官网网址檚 database was refined so the department could track incidents of tagging.

By tracking it, she aims to distinguish prolific taggers from novices. Eventually, she hopes this body of evidence will be accepted by the courts when a person caught in the act of tagging is tried.

To build a strong case, however, Ziegler said she needs more people to report graffiti by contacting the police by telephone or Internet.

A lot of people didnB次元官网网址檛 think it was a crime, she said. B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think there is a call too small if you are offended by it.B次元官网网址�

rholmen@vicnews.com

Attacking graffiti on all fronts

As well as encouraging residents to paint over graffiti, the city is ramping up its efforts in a number of other ways:

B次元官网网址�  Enforcement: apprehended vandals will now receive a $750 municipal bylaw ticket. In the past, the city had the power to issue these tickets, but did not have a policy for doing so. On average, between six and 12 graffiti vandals are caught each year.

B次元官网网址�  Awareness campaign: The city is giving presentations in various venues to highlight the seriousness of the problem. If graffiti is left, it can lead to other forms of delinquency in the area, research shows.

B次元官网网址�  Support businesses: the city co-ordinates a significant discount on paint for businesses wanting to paint over graffiti.

B次元官网网址�  Networking: the Capital Region Law Enforcement Anti-Graffiti Network was launched to help Greater VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 13 municipalities work together on graffiti

Options for reporting graffiti

B次元官网网址� To learn more about VTAG or get involved, email derickson@victoria.ca

B次元官网网址� If you find graffiti on City of Victoria property, you can call 250-361-0466.

B次元官网网址� If you find graffiti on private property (not your own), you can call bylaw services: 250-361-0215.

B次元官网网址� In all cases of graffiti, you can report it to Victoria police at 250-995-7654, or