That's the name of the anti-graffiti seminar being presented by Buffalo State University Police Officer Sam Lunetta, tomorrow morning, Tuesday May 20, at 8:00 at Buffalo State College, Butler Library 210.
The training seminar is being sponsored by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) for law enforcement officers, correction officers, community corrections personnel and interested parties (like local shop and homeowners who are tired of the vandalism).
Lunetta will present his portion of the program from 8:30 to 11:30 during the day-long seminar, which will last until 4PM. It is co-sponsored by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), a program of the federal Department of Justice through the Western New York Satellite for the New York / New Jersey Regional Center for Public Safety Innovations.
A variety of topics will be discussed, including "tagger" and gang graffiti identification, the similarity between gang graffiti and gang tattoos, evidence gathering, and case preparation and prosecution strategies. In addition, the Regional Community Policing "Graffiti Hurts" Task Force will highlight prevention and community partnership strategies that have resulted in arrests for property crime in local communities.
DCJS periodically trains police officers in designated Operation IMPACT counties and surrounding areas. Operation IMPACT supports strategic crime-fighting and violence reduction initiatives in the 17 counties outside of New York City that account for 80 percent of the crime upstate and on Long Island.
When we spoke to Lunetta about graffiti last June, he had much to say about the different styles of graffiti and the culture that goes with it. He also had scads of background on the taggers and graffitists who have been caught, along with pieced together profiles of the individuals still involved, so his should be a very interesting presentation.
The seminar also will be offered in Syracuse on Tuesday, June 17, and Rochester on Monday, July 21.
Seating is limited and registration is required. To obtain an application and more information, visit the DCJS training calendar website: http://calendar.dcjs.state.ny.us/ .