Everett police paint over graffiti vandalism

EVERETT, Wash. — The Everett Police Department (EPD) conducted a “graffiti paint-over” operation, targeting highly visible vandalism in the area.

The department said most of the work was done on Casino Road and was conducted to highlight the “importance of addressing this kind of public vandalism and to raise awareness for a program community members can use to help with the clean-up.”

According to Everett PD, some of the vandalism was known gang tag graffiti, causing some public safety concerns.

“Gangs use tags as a form of communication to convey threats to rival groups and identify territory. Frequently, it is juveniles and young adults who are responsible for the tagging, and their participation in these minor offenses can quickly escalate to their involvement in substantial acts of violence, or they become victims of violence themselves,” Everett PD said.

EPD also said, “due to the frequency in which youth become involved with graffiti vandalism through their participation in other gang-related or criminal activity, addressing the prevalence of tagging also supports the City of Everett’s work decreasing crime, especially violent crime.”

Single-family and duplex residential properties hit by graffiti vandalism may be eligible to participate in the City of Everett’s Graffiti Removal Program, which provides assistance to property owners by removing graffiti at no cost.

To be eligible for the program, the graffiti must be publicly visible.

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