good samaritans rewarded for reporting graffiti

Mayor Newsom and Public Works roll out the first rewards for

residents who help District Attorney and Police Department convict taggers

and urge more San Franciscans to get involved



SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Today, three San Francisco residents received $250 each as part of the City’s Graffiti Rewards Fund, an initiative that offers cash rewards to good Samaritans who report graffiti crimes and work with police and the District Attorney to convict vandals. The program is a partnership between the Department of Public Works (DPW), San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), and the Office of the District Attorney.



The announcement was made at a press conference in the Mission District, set against the backdrop of a recently completed mural created to help deter vandalism in the neighborhood.



The three reward recipients each made reports to the police as witnesses to a graffiti act in their neighborhood. Each of the cases led to convictions with cooperation from the reward recipients, who made themselves available to the SFPD and the District Attorney throughout the process.



"On behalf of the City, I thank those who take the time and effort to report graffiti vandalism," said Mayor Newsom."Engaging residents is our best defense against graffiti vandalism, keeps our city beautiful, and allows us to spend much needed city resources elsewhere.”



To be eligible for a Graffiti Reward, participants must file a police report, provide information that leads to an arrest and cooperate with law enforcement during the investigation and any trial proceedings.



“I encourage more people to participate in the Graffiti Rewards Fund. It helps us hold people accountable for their actions and ultimately helps us keep San Francisco a beautiful, livable, vibrant and sustainable city.” said Ed Reiskin, Director of Public Works.



DPW and the SFPD encourage residents to call 9-1-1 if they witness a crime in progress and always exercise caution. Graffiti that has already occurred can be reported through the City’s 311 Customer Service line.



DPW will spend $3.6 million removing graffiti this fiscal year and notifying property owners to do the same. San Franciscans remain concerned about graffiti vandalism with 26,577 service requests received through 311 in 2008/2009 and 25,857 received ...