NYPD's Ramped-Up Program Against Graffiti

The Daily News has facts and figures from the NYPD's "war against graffiti". There's been a 93% jump in graffiti busts versus last year; might it be because police coordinators received digital cameras to document new tags? And did you know there's a computer program called "Graffitistat," much like Compstat which records major crimes? There's a quote from City Councilman Peter Vallone, the biggest graffiti hater in City Hall (this side of Mayor Bloomberg), and most of the apprehended seem to be young. One professional graffiti artist, Ki Soung, tells the Daily News, "They don't know how to get permission and they don't care. They do it overnight and they disappear. It's not right."

Next, we'll be hearing how Streetsy is bookmarked on the Citywide Vandals Task Force computers.

Photograph from Bluejake

Update-- if you love streetart, and happen to live in Connecticut, Michael DeFeo has a nice show at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum in Ridgefield. Check it out:

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By Jen Chung in News on November 14, 2005 9:28 AM

Comments [rss]

REALITY CHECK

Why is the city's anti-graffiti task force more sophisticated than its anti-terror task force?

Adam

I see your point, Jake. I guess it really is the graf artists' risk. Also: I'd guess the NYPD isn't really sitting behind computers reading blogs that much.

Aspirez

I love how the NY daily news quotes a Ki Soung as a graffiti artist. But a quick google search of his name to check out his work points me to his website where it shows he is anything but a graffiti artist. I'm not sure if it's the ny daily news' fault for claiming Mr. Soung as a graff artist to support their story or Mr. Soung claiming he is to help get his name out. Either way for shame to both, especially the NY Daily News for not checking their sources.

On a brighter note, Michael DeFeo's work is amazing and I had the pleasure of hanging out with him at a show last winter. If anyone is roaming through Conn. I highly recommend they check out this show.

Cheers!

-Aspirez

wls

All I know is, since this "war" started, there's been a HUGE increase in graffiti in my neighborhood (Bensonhurst). So do the police only care if you live in a place where tourists might go?

simon

agree 100% with "dude"

dude

I still take exception to "graffiti artist". It's like saying, "I'm a professional painting artist", or "I'm a professional photography artist". Shouldn't it be just "artist" or "graffitist"? On top of which, most graffiti in the city is vandalism. Sure, there are some people who get permission or are hired to professionally vandalize a building for beautification purposes, but most graffiti consists of tags, which says "Q-DoGg" or something. I like alot of graffiti "art", but I'm glad the city tracks down on vandalism. Think about it, if someone came and threw feces at your building and broke a window, you wouldn't say, "Hmmm.. what an interesting fecal spray pattern; I think I'll leave it". You'd probably want to clean it up, with your own money.

jake

i've thought a lot about the politics of putting up my pictures, but i decided to go ahead and do it even if the NYPD does look at the site. graffiti artists live to have people see their stuff, and risk arrest to do it. i see this the same way-- even if the artists risk arrest by having their pictures on my site, that's a risk they seem to be willing to take already.

Adam

I thought of Streetsy this morning when I heard this news on the radio and they specifically mentioned digicams. Streetsy probably is an unwitting tool for L&O: CVTF.