08-05-09 News Conference on the Vandalism to the Marquette Interchange

News Conference re:

Vandalism Marquette Interchange

August 5, 2009

 

 

Sometime before 4:45 a.m., suspect or suspects criminally damaged a retaining wall by spray- painting letters on the wall in the newly constructed Marquette Interchange. Our investigation into the identity of the perpetrators is ongoing.

 

Part of the problem with this type of crime is the approach of the criminal justice system for what has become a difficult crime to eliminate. This has led to the public becoming frustrated to the point of resignation and quiet despair, about the inability of their government officials to be able to even control it.

 

Even the terminology used by many including the media suggests that this is something other than what it actually is. It’s referred to as graffiti, tagging, and even art. I am not going to legitimize or glorify this criminal act by using soft language to identify it. This is vandalism…I’ll say it again…This is vandalism, a criminal act, a destruction of somebody else’s property.

 

It’s used by gang members to mark their territory; it’s used by anarchists to get a message across. It has no artistic value whatsoever. It’s a nuisance, it’s ugly, it’s a crime, it’s a sign of disorder and it’s intolerable. 

 

Entire neighborhoods have been defaced including street signs, light poles, postal mail boxes, police call boxes, sidewalks, and corner bus shelters. It’s no different than some idiot picking up a rock and throwing it through someone’s window or scratching someone’s car with a key. It’s a nuisance, it’s a crime and it’s intolerable. The costs associated with the cleanup are staggering.

 

I’ve had conversations with property owners who have told me that their homes, garages, businesses and neighborhoods have been under siege by vandals using paint as a weapon. They have paid to have it cleaned up and even done it themselves only to have some punk vandalize their property again. In frustration they have given up and left the spray painting remain, figuring it was a waste of time to clean it up -- only to be further victimized when the city threatens them with fines if they don’t clean it up.

 

What would help victims of vandalism is for government officials to not make property owners the bad guy in this crime. While there is no quick fix or easy way to reduce and prevent future acts of vandalism in this area, there are ways to help law enforcement contain this illegal activity.

 

First, it’s time for the criminal justice system to see this for what it is…criminal activity. There must be certain prosecution at the state level. Judicial leniency for this crime is contributing to repeat behavior. Probation is the disposition of choice. This alone sends a message that they don’t see this as that serious of an offense. This is being out of touch. They need to go visit some of these neighborhoods where it is an epidemic and ask the victims and residents. That’s what I’ve done. They’ll get a different take.

 

Even the two idiots who vandalized the Calatrava only got 60…I repeat 60 days in jail. Prison time--not House of Correction--would have been more appropriate and would have sent a stronger message to people who now think this is a joke.

 

In 2005 we testified in Madison to make it a felony offense instead of a misdemeanor if the damage amount was over $1000 dollars. It never made it out of committee and Representative Fred Kessler led the opposition to making it a felony. Let’s see what they do now.

 

The second thing needed is for the State Dept. of Transportation to immediately install surveillance cameras to capture all areas under the overpasses. Not the traffic cameras, but additional security cameras. This would also serve as an anti-terrorism function. These would serve not only as a deterrent, but as an investigative tool to apprehend and prosecute perpetrators.

 

We’re also putting up a $2500 dollar reward for the arrest and prosecution of the actors in vandalizing the retaining wall of the Marquette Interchange. Anyone with information should call the Sheriff’s Office at 278-4788.