Contact Us Home Web Policies City of Sacramento Department of General Services

Information
  

Graffiti Abatement

Recording, Reporting and Removing

If you plan to remove graffiti yourself, use the Record-Report-Remove method.

Recording simply means taking at least two color photographs of the graffiti before you remove it. This helps the police identify local graffiti hot spots. If a trail of photographic evidence can be tied to a vandal who has been caught, it may raise the crime from a misdemeanor to a felony. On the back of one photograph, write your name and the location of the graffiti and mail it to Sacramento Police Department, Attention Graffiti, 900 Eighth St., Sacramento, CA 95814. Please keep one copy of the photograph as a record.

Reporting to the appropriate agency is critical.

For your property: Before removing the graffiti, simply call the Police Department's non-emergency number at (916) 264-5476 to report it as a crime. If appropriate, indicate that the graffiti is a bias crime or gang-related.

For other property: Call the Police Department's non-emergency number at (916) 264-5476 to report the graffiti. Then, refer to the "Call before you remove ," phone list and report the graffiti to the appropriate agency. The agency personnel will inform you of the correct procedure to follow.

Removing graffiti is a simple step-by-step process. Follow the detailed instructions outlined in the next section.

Caution!
If you choose to remove gang-related graffiti, be aware! Gang members may take offense to your actions. It's best to remove gang graffiti during early daylight hours with a partner. If you feel your safety is at risk, record and report the graffiti, but do not remove it yourself. Call the appropriate agency to have them remove it (see Call before you remove - phone number directory below).

Step-by-Step Removal Tips

1. Identify the method of application and the surface
The sooner you remove graffiti, the easier it is to clean. Before you select the best removal method, identify the surface to be cleaned and the method used to apply the graffiti. Smooth, hard surfaces are the easiest to clean and rough, porous surfaces are the most difficult. Materials used to apply graffiti include spray paint, grease pencils, felt-tipped pens, water-based paint, stickers, shoe polish and even crayons.
2. Choose a removal method
Try using soap, water and a soft brush first. If that doesn't work, use a removal product that's appropriate for the application method and surface. In many instances, graffiti can be cleaned using a removal product rather than painting over it. Removing graffiti is preferred since it is easier than painting and eliminates the difficulty of matching paint.

The removal materials listed are inexpensive, portable and easy to use. Most are non-toxic and available through the Graffiti Abatement Program.

While the brand name products listed below are not the only ones on the market, they can be very effective in removing graffiti.

3. Locate removal supplies
The Graffiti Abatement Program offers removal supplies that citizens can check out and use free of charge. GAP also provides a computerized paint-matching service to City residents and businesses on a one-time basis.

In addition, several local paint stores offer discounts to citizens involved with the Graffiti Abatement Program. Participating stores include:

Dunn-Edwards Paints
Fuller O'Brien Paints
Kelly Moore Paint Co.

For Maintenance Services customer assistance call (916) 808-1888.

Call Before You Remove!

In many cases, graffiti should not be removed from surfaces, but reported to the responsible agency instead. Please call the appropriate agency to report graffiti before you remove it yourself.

City of Sacramento, Graffiti Abatement Program
Neighborhood Services Department - (916) 566-3951
Police (graffiti in progress) - (916) 264-5151
Police Reporting Number (non-emergency) - (916) 808-8819
Department of General Services (all city property) - (916) 808-1888/399-9263fax
Code Enforcement (private property) - (916) 808-5948

State Agencies
Cal Trans - 24 hrs. (all state property) - (916) 741-4206
Cal Trans - M-F (all state property) - (916) 263-6940
California Highway Patrol (graffiti in progress) - (916) 445-2211

County of Sacramento
County Nuisance (county property) - (916) 855-5656
County Department of General Services - (916) 366-2227

School Districts
Grant Unified (school property) - (916) 263-6215
Sacramento Unified (school property) - (916) 264-4075

Agencies & Companies
Bench Ad (bus benches) - 1-800-234-5460
Cost United (bus benches) - (916) 364-1577 fax
Pacific Bell (phone booths) - (916) 638-6101/489-8360 fax
PG&E - 1-800-743-5000/385-5140 fax
Regional Transit (bus stops & shelters) - (916) 321-3830/454-6016 fax
(light rails & RT property) - (916) 321-2819/454-6016 fax
Sacramento Bee (newspaper boxes) - (916) 321-1691
Southern Pacific Railroad (rail cars) - (916) 789-5320/789-5242 fax
SMUD - (916) 732-6043/732-5903 fax
Union Pacific Railroad (rail cars) - (916) 321-2245/321-2200 fax
US Postal Service (postal boxes) - (916) 263-7075

Billboards
Eller/Patrick Media Group - (916) 920-2911
Gannett Outdoor - (916) 372-8252
3M Corporation - 209-466-6013 fax

Dumpsters
City of Sacramento - (916) 808-5454
BFI - (916) 631-8081
Golden State Disposal - (916) 452-3939
Rent-A-Box - (916) 452-3464
Waste Management - (916) 373-3720

Graffiti Removal at a Glance

Surface Method of Graffiti Removal Method
Painted wood or metal Pens Denatured alcohol or Safety Two
Painted wood, concrete or metal Spray paint Denatured alcohol or repaint
Traffic signal boxes Any Safety Two
Unpainted concrete, stucco or aggregate Pens or spray paint Safety Two, then water under pressure with a wire brush
Glass or plastic Pens, spray paint or stickers Window scraper, then denatured alcohol

Caution!
If you use chemicals, follow manufacturer's instructions and wear proper protective equipment. Some removers may damage some painted surfaces.

Don't paint these surfaces!

Postal boxes
Traffic control boxes
Light poles
Fire alarm boxes
Bus shelters & benches
Telephone booths
Dumpsters
Red brick (unpainted)
Newspaper boxes
Meters - parking, gas or water
SMUD boxes 		Refer to the phone directory listed above and report graffiti found on these surfaces to the proper agency. If you are unsure about whether or not you should paint a surface, call (916) 566-3951 for further assistance.