Graffiti Arrest and Paint Battle

Binghamton,NY,USA

Blake Smith
Aug 18, 2004, 16:29

The park was shut down for about 6 hours so crews could eliminate grafitti from the walls. Binghamton Police tell Action News a 14-year-old male was arrested this morning.

He's charged with felony criminal mischief. Police say as many as 3 or 4 more arrests are likely. Police add that if the teen is convicted, he'll probably face probation.

Binghamton Mayor Richard Bucci says the city is exploring ways to stop grafitti.

It may look like a typical park bathroom. But Johnson City police call it a crime-fighter. Not because of the way it was built, but the way it's painted.

Roland Smith from the J.C. Parks Department says, "It's a specialized paint. It's a two part, like an apoxy paint."

It's grafitti resistant.

Three years ago crews came out and painted the bathroom with grafitti resistant paint. So far they say it's been extremely effective.

Roland Smith says, "They grafittied the little league concession stand and we went over with some cleaner, wiped it off the next day and it was gone."

At Northside Park in Johnson City, two press boxes, a concession stand and bathroom are coated with the special paint.

Crews say once vandals realize the buildings are grafitti-proof, they leave them alone.

Binghamton Mayor Richard Bucci says using the paint at the Cheri Lindsey skatepark is a possibility, but the city is leaning toward a different option.

Binghamton's Mayor Richard Bucci says, "We're looking at the possibility of putting up a wall there where individuals can spray their messages, kind of like a grafitti block."

This bathroom in Northside Park used to be a grafitti block, but today Smith says it keeps crime away and saves Johnson City money.

Roland Smith says, "It saves money in the paint and also the money in the man power. So it works out real well."

There is a downside to the grafitti-resistant paint. It costs about 380 dollars for five gallons.