Control Access

Make changes to build-in graffiti prevention:

• Incorporate natural deterrents, such as landscaping. Shrubs, thorny plants and vines will effectively restrict vandal access.
• Plan or add lighting to promote natural surveillance.
• Use fences, controlled entrance and exits, rails, and other barriers that discourage through traffic.
• Limit access to roofs by moving dumpsters away from walls and covering drainpipes to prevent vandals from scaling them.

Employ graffiti resistant surfaces

To vandal proof targeted areas use:

• Graffiti resistant materials or coatings.
• Sacrificial coatings, which allow graffiti to be washed off. Sacrificial coatings must be re-applied after each graffiti clean-up.
• Textured surfaces, which are less attractive to graffiti vandals.
• Dark colored or colorful surfaces; neither of these provide a good canvas for a graffiti vandal.
• Check with local building codes or homeowners association to ensure that the coating or color you use is proper or legal.

Remove graffiti quickly

Removing graffiti quickly will deter further graffiti and keep rival taggers from adding to the existing graffiti.  People who illegally deface surfaces want their work to be seen.  Removing it quickly will show the criminals that it will not be seen by anyone thus deter it from happening again.

Report Graffiti immediately!

The Gulfport Police Department investigates aggressively each instance of Graffiti.