Tracking Automated Graffiti Reporting System

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2009

The Tracking Automated Graffiti Reporting System (TAGRS) program is designed as a Central Graffiti Clearinghouse for law enforcement and public works. This program enhances information sharing among law enforcement and public works communities dealing with graffiti incidents. The TAGRS program has an assigned portal for both law enforcement and public works to input photographic evidence of graffiti and removal costs. This information is automatically sent to the secured law enforcement graffiti network for follow-up investigation. The program saves countless investigative hours by offering a search mechanism, which makes it effortless to conduct a data search for a specific graffiti incident or a person of interest. The TAGRS network produces a variety of reports, such as: costs, analysis, graffiti trends and mapping, along with violator information. Since the installment of the TAGRS program, law enforcement has made numerous graffiti related arrests, thus increasing costs recovery and the reduction of incidents. Another outcome of the program has been the identification of at-risk youth. These juveniles are assigned to a diversion program, which aims at preventing them from engaging in future acts of graffiti. Over 20 cities have adopted the program, with many more in the process of adopting the TAGRS program.