HomeMy WebLinkAboutADM 260-001 Graffiti Reporting for City Facilities and Properties
Procedure
Procedure Title: Graffiti Reporting for City Facilities and/or
Properties
Procedure Number
ADM 260-001
Reference
ADM 260 Respectful Conduct
Policy
Date Originated (m/d/y)
December 24, 2025
Date Revised (m/d/y)
Pages
4
Approval: Chief Administrative Officer
Point of Contact
Manager, Parks & Property
Manager, Facilities Maintenance
Supervisor, Safety & Security
Strategic Initiatives & Corporate Priorities Advisor
Index
Section/ Section/Subsection Title
Subsection
Procedure Objective
Required Competencies
01 Definitions
02 Procedures
Appendix 1 Security Incident Report
Procedure Objective
The purpose of this procedure is to establish a process by which staff report and respond to an
occurrence of graffiti found on municipally owned facilities and/or its property.
Upon realizing that a facility and/or property has been tagged or damaged, it is imperative that
authorized staff report it to their Supervisor/Manager immediately so that it can be documented
to Durham Regional Polices Services (DRPS) and/or covered up appropriately.
Required Competencies
All staff will be authorized to monitor and report any incidents of graffiti on or around City of
Pickering facilities, while conducting regular facility checks while on shift. Staff will be confident
with the required knowledge of what to do and how to report it for timely results, based on the
type. If the graffiti in question is offensive, it will need to be documented, immediately covered,
Procedure Title: Graffiti Reporting Procedures for City Facilities and/or Properties Page 2 of 4
Procedure Number: ADM 260-001
and reported to DRPS in a timely manner. If the graffiti is not offensive, it will need to be
reported and covered immediately.
01 Definitions
01.01 Graffiti – means one or more letters, symbols, numbers, etchings, inscriptions,
pictorial representations, or other markings that disfigure or deface property
made on or otherwise affixed to the property.
01.02 Offensive – insulting, insolent, derogatory, disrespectful, hurtful, racist,
discriminatory, sexual, profane, hateful, gang related, abusive in nature, or that
violates a protected ground under the Human Rights Act.
01.03 Nuisance – thing or circumstance causing inconvenience or annoyance.
01.04 Security Incident Report – an internal security report accessible from the
City’s intranet.
01.05 Authorized staff – staff specifically assigned with the responsibility to secure
and care for the respective facility or property including but not limited to on-call
personnel (i.e., foreperson, lead hand, facility operator, facility/arena
attendance, facility maintenance person, facility coordinator, on-call staff, etc.).
01.06 Report – make a formal statement or complaint via phone call, text or email to
the necessary authority.
02 Procedures
02.01 Authorized staff routinely inspect City facilities and properties during their shifts,
focusing on key areas such as walls, windows, floors, equipment, and signage
to ensure they are clean, safe, and functioning properly. Graffiti on City of
Pickering facilities or property may be reported by the public or Customer Care
and forwarded to authorized staff or their Supervisor/Manager for follow-up.
02.02 When Graffiti is discovered on or near City property, staff must report the
incident to their Supervisor/Manager. The Supervisor/Manager is responsible
for assessing the situation and notifying Customer Care so that a Service
Request can be created for tracking purposes, where feasible.
02.03 A photograph of the Graffiti must accompany the report. Regardless of whether
the Graffiti is considered a nuisance or offensive, it should be covered
immediately where feasible to prevent public exposure and potential offense.
02.04 Authorized staff must also submit a Security Incident Report (Appendix 1) by
the next business day, including a photograph of the Graffiti, using the
designated security incident reporting system.
Procedure Title: Graffiti Reporting Procedures for City Facilities and/or Properties Page 3 of 4
Procedure Number: ADM 260-001
02.05 After the Supervisor/Manager reviews the report and confirms that the Graffiti is
not offensive, they must inform the appropriate Facilities or Parks staff. Once
notified, those staff can proceed to permanently remove or paint over the
Graffiti.
i. If Graffiti is found in a City facility, contact Lead Hand number at
289.200.9740 to remove it by washing it off or painting over it.
ii. If Graffiti is found in other City property (i.e., City parks), Parks staff will
be notified, via their immediate supervisor, to remove it by power
washing or painting over it.
iii. If Graffiti is found on public art, authorized staff must contact the Lead
Hand at 289.200.9740. The Lead Hand will then notify and coordinate
with the Curator, Public Art to determine the most appropriate method
for Graffiti removal.
02.06 If the Graffiti is offensive, the Supervisor/Manager of the authorized staff must
use their judgment to promptly report the incident to the DRPS non -emergency
line at 888.579.1520. If there is any uncertainty, it is recommended to contact
the Police regardless.
02.07 Once the Supervisor/Manager receives confirmation from DRPS that all
necessary evidence has been collected, they will notify Facilities or Parks staff
that the offensive Graffiti can be permanently removed or painted over.
02.08 When offensive Graffiti is identified by City staff, the Supervisor, Safety &
Security must notify the Supervisor, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion. The
Supervisor, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion will assess whether it is necessary to
inform human rights or other appropriate organizations, in accordance with
Council Resolution #671/25.
02.09 If staff witness someone actively committing Graffiti within a City facility, they
must submit a Security Incident Report (Appendix 1) with as much detail as
possible, including the date, time, and location of the incident. Individuals
involved may be suspended or banned from City of Pickering facilities and/or
programs in accordance with the Respectful Conduct Policy (ADM 260).
02.10 If the individual responsible for placing graffiti on City of Pickering property is
identified or identifiable, the Supervisor, Safety & Security must also report the
incident to Municipal Law Enforcement Services (MLES). MLES will conduct an
investigation, and if sufficient evidence is available, charges may be laid under
Graffiti By-law 6711/06.
Appendix 1 Security Incident Report
Procedure Title: Graffiti Reporting Procedures for City Facilities and/or Properties Page 4 of 4
Procedure Number: ADM 260-001
Appendix 1