Neglect can be contagious, and Mayor Hopkins says that he is going to continue to crack down on graffiti in to help keep the city a clean, safe place to live.

Hopkins said the city already moves quickly to scrub off or paint over any graffiti visible on public or private property, but he is also going to make sure that any violators face the stiffest penalties allowed by local ordinances.

“Graffiti sends a message,” Hopkins said in a recent interview, adding that he subscribes to the “broken window” theory of urban management – a theory that postulates that even small signs of neglect can lead to the degradation of a community and even increase crime because it  can create a sense of disorder or signal that a city or town is not taking care of itself.

The theory became widely referred to in the 1980s’ after an article by social scientists James Q. Wilson and George L. Kelling published an article suggesting that addressing small crimes – such as graffiti and/or vandalism – create a sense of orderliness and send the message that a community is well-monitored and well cared for.

Taking care of small problems can help prevent bigger ones, says Hopkins. He said he regularly drives the city from end to end, and his staff knows that if he spots any areas with graffiti, they will get a call and have to dispatch someone to address it right away.

“We either remove it or paint over it,” Hopkins said.  “We are not a depressed community, and we are not going to look like one. It’s a quality-of-life issue.”

Under the current city ordinance, a property owner is required to remove visible graffiti after being properly notified by the City.  Failure to comply can result in fines of up to $500 per incident.   People caught defacing public or private property can be fined up to $200 per incident.

Hopkins said that removing graffiti is usually collaborative effort with private property owners, but the city will prosecute when necessary.  Regarding public places, he said that utility boxes easily accessible from sidewalks are prime targets, particularly if they are located on walking routes frequented by high school students or other youths.

Bridge abutments, long stretches of building walls, and sidewalks are also likely to be “tagged,” he said, and his administration will remove any graffiti as quickly as possible.

“We take a lot of pride in having a nice, safe clean city,” Hopkins said. “We have zero tolerance for defacing property.”

He said he has had discussions with Providence Mayor Brett Smiley on how to best address issues with graffiti and has even been in contact with Amtrak since its railroad bridges are another favorite canvas.

One popular spot is a railroad bridge that crosses Wellington Avenue near the Warwick line, and graffiti regularly crops up there even though the railroad  has tried to address the issue by putting an extra chain link fence along  the edge of the bridge.

Hopkins said the city does have surveillance cameras it moves to various locations throughout the city and will continue to be vigilant in trying to prevent vandals from defacing either public or private property.

“If we catch them, we will prosecute,” he said.