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Port of San Diego to Participate in Graffiti Tracker

Wednesday, 16 February 2011
Contact: Barbara Moreno (619) 686-6216

A new high-tech tool designed to cut down on graffiti is coming to the Port of San Diego. The Board of Port Commissioners unanimously approved joining the "Graffiti Tracker" pilot program during its regular monthly meeting Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011.

Through the Graffiti Tracker program, photos can be used by police agencies, including the Port's Harbor Police Department, to identify, track and perhaps be used to seek restitution from graffiti crimes.

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"I'm excited that the Port of San Diego is joining the regional graffiti program," said County Supervisor Greg Cox, who has led the effort to create a regional campaign against graffiti. "For the first time ever, we will have a regional, coordinated effort to fight graffiti. There will be nowhere in San Diego County for graffiti vandals to hide."

"In our 'Year of Innovation,' the Port is proud to take part in this program with the goal of reducing incidents of graffiti on the tidelands," said Scott Peters, Chairman of the Board of Port Commissioners. "We hope the photo documentation can build a better case against offenders and give our Harbor Police officers more time to investigate criminal activities rather than focusing on graffiti."

The cost of the Graffiti Tracker program is an initial $7,500.00 and $2,600.00 plus tax for the purchase of two GPS cameras.

The 18-month test program, managed by the County of San Diego, is a multi-jurisdictional, web-based system. All cities within San Diego County, as well as the North County Transit District and the Metropolitan Transit System are participating in the program.

The Port will contract with Urban Corps to take photos and remove graffiti found on tidelands. When incidents of graffiti are found along San Diego Bay, photographs will be taken and marked with the exact time and location. The pictures will then be stored into a Graffiti Tracker database.

The Port anticipates using the Graffiti Tracker by Spring 2011.