GRAFFITI: What can I do?

Rock Island Citizens can help keep our city clean and beautiful by following the steps below:

STEP 1: RECORD
If you see a graffiti crime in progress, please call 911. Please provide a complete description of the perpetrators and/or vehicles involved, including license plate numbers. NEVER APPROACH OR CONFRONT THE VANDALS YOURSELF.

STEP 2: REPORT
Report the Crime If you are the property owner and find graffiti when the act is not in progress, a Criminal Damage report may be filed with the Rock Island Police Department over the phone by calling 309-732-COPS or 309-732-2677. If it appears to be gang related then an Officer may be sent to investigate and take photographs.

Report Graffiti for Removal on Public Property or Graffiti that has not been removed from Private Property. Graffiti vandalism is a crime, but it is also a Property Maintenance Code Violation which the Owner is responsible to correct. All complaints regarding a property with unresolved graffiti may be made in-person to the Inspection Division, 1528 Third Avenue, by phone 309-732-7368 or by email to graffiti@rigov.org.

It is very helpful for City Code Enforcement Inspectors to have as much information about the graffiti you have found as possible including:

• The property address or location.
  
• What the graffiti is on.
  

Once a complaint is received digital photographs will be taken and a Notice will be issued to the Owner. Graffiti on public property will be abated by the City.

STEP 3. REMOVE
The City realizes that the Owner of the vandalized property has been a victim of a criminal act, however Section 302.9 of the adopted International Property Maintenance Code recognizes the Owner of the property with the graffiti as the Responsible Party. The Code mandates the removal of graffiti from public and private property within a reasonable amount of time (normally 15-30 days), weather permitting. If the graffiti is removed the file will be closed. If the Responsible Party does not act in accordance with the Compliance Order in the specified time, the Inspection Division will take legal action which may include a fine.

The City is working to keep neighborhoods clean and attractive through code enforcement, community involvement, and police enforcement.

• Property owners are responsible for taking measures to prevent graffiti and for graffiti removal.
  
• Volunteer assistance for graffiti removal is offered to the Rock Island Community by the Community Caring Conference’s GRAFFITI BUSTING PROGRAM. Please call 309-786-0345 to make a request or to volunteer
  
• The Inspection Division works with the Rock Island Police Department to target graffiti “hot spots” and gang related activities.