Dedicated anti-graffiti police officer for Hillingdon » Local Government » 24dash.com

Hillingdon is a step closer to winning the battle against graffiti, following the appointment of a dedicated anti-graffiti police officer.
 
The council’s decision to fund the police post is part of its commitment to crack down on prolific taggers, and reduce the amount of criminal damage that is caused by them.
 
The primary function of the new post holder, Police Constable Barry Cilia, will be to act as central coordinator of the borough’s graffiti action plan.

This will involve increasing and improving intelligence on taggers and their ‘crews’, developing a database of graffiti hotspots, and helping to secure warrants for more arrests. 
 

 The council currently spends around £500,000 per year on cleaning up graffiti, and this does not include the money spent on cleaning graffiti from car parks or money spent by Hillingdon Homes.
 
Police Constable Cilia, who has worked on the force for 12 years, and was previously on the Uxbridge town centre team, said: "I'm thoroughly committed to tackling the problem of graffiti in the borough so am looking forward to starting my new role. There is already a lot of information and intelligence on the problem - what is needed now is somebody to convert this information into hard evidence, and this is where I come in."
 
Cllr Sandra Jenkins, cabinet member for environment, said: “Dealing with graffiti is a high priority for the council, as removing it costs us a huge amount of money. The police’s safer neighbourhoods initiative has made a noticeable difference in many parts of the borough, but we really want to toughen up on enforcement now and are optimistic about what Police Constable Cilia will help us to achieve. 
 
“The appointment of PC Cilia will mean a much more coordinated approach, that should result in an increase in the number of graffiti vandals that are prosecuted, and a big reduction in what is nothing more than unsightly criminal damage.”