Detroit Getting a Grip on Graffitti
Officials say Detroit residents not responsible for most tagging
“There’s been a mindset that no one gets excited about it. Nobody cares about it, there isn’t going to be any enforcement, and it’s easy to get away with. (But) they will think twice about doing it in their own community”
Attorneys for the City of Detroit are charging three people with defacing a vacant building with graffiti. City officials say it’s the latest case among dozens the city has prosecuted since Mayor Duggan took office. A neighbor called police after taking a picture of the vehicle involved in tagging and vandalizing a former school on Townsend Street, on the city’s east side. Douglas Baker is Chief of Criminal Enforcement for Detroit’s Law Department. He tells WDET’s Amy Miller penalties for graffiti can cost the accused thousands of dollars and jail time depending on the extent of damage done.
Click on the audio link above to hear the entire conversation
