Report And Paint (RAP)

In light of the recent interest in gang activity in our community, the police department has been receiving more calls in reference to graffiti.  The police department participates in a program known as Report And Paint, commonly referred to as RAP.

The police department has been using the RAP program for the past 12 years but its use was greatly increased in 2002 when the department's newly formed Situational Response Unit (SRU) was activated.  Through grants and business donations, the program sought to cover reported graffiti as soon as possible.

The program works as follows:

• Business owner calls 911 center to report graffiti
• Officer takes report, takes pictures of graffiti, and has business owner sign waiver
• By signing the waiver the business owner agrees to supply the paint for the project.  In some cases, the city can provide a similar paint color if some has been donated.
• The request to paint is forwarded to the City's recreation department.
• The recreation department coordinates with juvenile court to provide juvenile offenders to paint over the grafetti as part of their community service obligations.

The time frame that this occurs is generally 1-3 weeks from the time the report is made.  It has been shown that the quicker the grafetti is covered the fewer future instances that occur.