Get Involved

Our Online Toolkit has all the tools you need to UNTAG your neighborhood

Becoming a Block Captain is easy. Follow these five steps to help UNTAG your neighborhood today. You can make a difference that everyone will see!

STEP 1: CLAIM YOUR "HOTSPOT" AND REGISTER AS A BLOCK CAPTAIN

    You'll need:

  • Block Captain Registration Form

    First, select one or more "graffiti hotspots" in your neighborhood to adopt. This means you will be responsible for reporting any graffiti you see, and making sure the City has official permission to remove graffiti from the property or business owner. For more information on the responsibilities and privileges of block captains, consult The Elements of UNTAG (PDF) included in our Toolkit.

STEP 2: REPORT GRAFFITI USING OUR RAPID RESPONSE SYSTEM

    You"ll need:

  • Rapid Response Details
  • Graffiti Removal Limitations
  • Graffiti Removal Agreement
  • Paint-Out Training Flyer
  • Graffiti Report Form

    • Council President Garcetti's special Rapid Response System for graffiti removal ensures graffiti is painted out quickly to discourage taggers from coming back. This section of the toolkit contains more details on how to use our Rapid Response System as well as extra copies of all the necessary forms.

    Learn how to paint out graffiti and receive free paint! One of the privileges of being an UNTAG block captain is that you can participate in a free graffiti paint out training conducted by the experts. You can then contact your Council Office to receive free paint and rollers.

STEP 3: RECRUIT YOUR NEIGHBORS

    You'll need:

  • The Elements of UNTAG (PDF)
  • Block Captain Registration Forms

    • The only way to tackle the problem of graffiti is for neighbors to join together throughout the community to build a force of resistance to blight, nuisance, and crime. This section includes extra copies of "The Elements of UNTAG" that you can distribute to potential volunteers, as well as our Block Captain Registration Forms that people can fill out. You can deliver the forms to your Council Office.

    You can also work with your Council Office to organize community meetings with other Block Captains for your neighborhood. You can use the other information and handouts in this toolkit to create your own outreach packets. Every Council office has contact information for most community groups, Neighborhood Councils, Chambers of Commerce, churches, Neighborhood Watches, etc. in your district. These are a great place to start your recruitment campaign.

STEP 4: MONITOR AND EVALUATE

    Work closely with your Council office. Each hotspot will require that the city deploy different resources, that we learn from trial and error, and that we monitor our progress very closely. If you think your hotspot needs more than regular graffiti removal, make an appointment with your Council office staff to brainstorm ideas and organize our resources. As you notice what works and what doesn't, let the office know so the City family can continue to improve our system.

    Weekly reports to each Council office from the graffiti removal agencies will help each Council district monitor the hotspots- but you will notice persistent graffiti before the City does. So, if you notice that graffiti is not being removed quickly, let the City know so we can identify the obstacles and resolve the problem.

STEP 5: MAKE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME RESISTANT: CREATE A GRAFFITI FREE ZONE!

    Review the following tools to help you create a Graffiti Free Zone!


    Additional Strategies

  • Reduce blight and nuisance activity in your neighborhood
  • Install surveillance cameras
  • Join the police department's volunteer surveillance team
  • Beautification and landscaping

    UNTAG Legal Issues

  • Penalties for acts of vandalism
  • Prohibition on selling spray cans to minors
  • Legal responsibility for property owners for removing graffiti
  • Parental Responsibility for vandalism committed by their children