Surveillance puts dent in vandalism

Date: 13/10/2005
Source: OregonLive
Author: -

The paint from what police described as extensive and racist graffiti sprayed on the south walls of Reynolds High School last week had barely dried before school workers were sandblasting it away.

The graffiti was extremely offensive, but east Multnomah County school officials and police said it was not a typical incident. Vandalism has decreased at area schools in the past five years.

"Vandalism has been on a decline since we installed cameras," said Michelle Moore, the chief financial officer for the Gresham-Barlow School District. "We still get some graffiti or a broken window, but with the cameras, we can ID the students."

The Reynolds School District budgets about $35,000 each year to repair windows, remove graffiti from inside and outside school buildings, and replace and repair damaged equipment, said district spokeswoman Andrea Watson.

Although $35,000 might sound like a lot of money, Watson said, it is important to put it in perspective.

"We have 20 properties covering 212 acres worth $4.4 billion. It's not that significant when you consider that we teach 10,000 students . . . it's just the cost of doing business, and low compared to other operations of this size."

When the damage is extensive -- as it was last November when two boys were accused of breaking into and vandalizing five of the district's schools at a cost of $20,000 -- the damage is covered by insurance, Watson said. Graffiti typically can be removed by school maintenance workers.

Because of increased security measures, including 24-hour security cameras, justice can be swift. In addition to any criminal charges, students face suspension and/or expulsion. (Reynolds officials won't discuss details of their security systems, but like the Centennial and Gresham-Barlow school districts, they use security cameras.)

Several years ago, security officials at Centennial High School located one of their missing security cameras at a student's home; the camera, hooked up to VCRs, had captured his image on tape as he took it. In June 2000, three students were required to perform community service after they tore security cameras from the roof of Sam Barlow High School. Their images, too, had been captured by the cameras.

Officer Jeff Miller, the school resources officer at Gresham High School, said the security cameras installed at the school six years ago have led to a steep reduction in vandalism, inside and outside the school.

As at Reynolds, Miller said, school maintenance workers scrub off or paint over graffiti as soon as it's discovered.

"It's hard to argue that you didn't do something if the camera catches you either in the act or leaving the restroom after an incident," Miller said. "We haven't had a broken window or major graffiti in years."

The day after the graffiti at Reynolds High School was removed, Troutdale police cited a female student and two former students on first- and second-degree criminal mischief and second-degree intimidation, said Sgt. Marc Shrake, a Troutdale police spokesman.

"The extent of this was huge, and the school removed it quickly," Shrake said of the graffiti at Reynolds High, which extended to houses adjacent to school property. "It stirred feelings of outrage in the community."

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