Graffiti Prevention
Ongoing Upkeep
Keep your property clean and neat.
Promptly Remove Graffiti
Removal within 24 to 48 hours significantly reduces the chance of reoccurrence. Use graffiti resistant materials or coatings on a chronically "tagged" wall.
Control Access & Thru Traffic
Incorporate shrubs, thorny plants, and vines to restrict vandal access.
Use fences, controlled entrance and exits, rails, and other barriers.
Limit access to roofs by moving dumpsters away from walls and covering drainpipes.
Step Up Security
Add or improve lighting for natural surveillance.
Install a security camera.
Organize a "Neighborhood/Business Watch."
Work with Neighbors
Organize a "paint bank" with shared paints and equipment. Refer also to the graffiti removal kits available at some Portland fire stations.
Public Art
Mount a community mural on a chronically "tagged" wall.
Contact the Regional Arts & Culture Council first at 503-823-5111.
For glass/plastic windows incorporate etched drawings, photographic transparencies, murals, etc. TriMet's bus shelter art is a great example!
Graffiti Reporting
Notify the authorities - see below.
Identify if it is "tagger" or gang graffiti - check with the police prior to removal if you are unsure.
Photograph (digital if available) the graffiti to assist law enforcement in their investigation.
Who do I notify to report graffiti?
Call the Portland Police Bureau's Graffiti Hotline at 503-823-4TAG (4824).
Report graffiti online through the City's Office of Neighborhood Involvement (ONI) website.
Include a digital photo of the graffiti if available: www.portlandonline.com/oni/index.cfm?c=32420
Call 9-1-1 to report graffiti in progress.
Report graffiti on your own property to the police at 503-823-3333. Without a police report, prosecution is difficult.
Who can help me remove graffiti?
Graffiti removal kits are available at nine Portland fire stations: 03, 08, 13, 14, 18, 23, 25, 40, and 41. Visit the ONI website for more information and station locations. www.portlandonline.com/oni/index.cfm?c=32420
For graffiti within the Portland Clean & Safe District, call 503-224-7383 for removal assistance. Visit www.portlandalliance.com to view a district map.
For free graffiti removal assistance contact the City of Portland Office of Neighborhood Involvement Graffiti Abatement Program at 503-823-5860.
For graffiti removal on traffic signs, contact City Maintenance Bureau for traffic sign cleanup at 503-823-1703.
Safety Resources
Click on each link for more information
Graffiti Removal
Graffiti Worksheet
How to Read Graffiti
Home and Car Safety