City officials fighting graffiti problem

By Staff
Jonathan Willis
The bright paint marks buildings throughout Russellville, often covering older paint that has already begun to fade.
It is a common sight as you drive through town, no matter what section of the city you are in,
The problem lies with where the paint is and what it says.
Graffiti has become a common problem throughout the city and covers many store walls, apartment complexes and other buildings.
The city has already helped the state highway department clean the Alabama 24 overpass after vandals spray-painted there.
Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett said most of the graffiti in town is gang-related, but he is hesitant to call it a gang problem.
"I think we have some wannabe gang members," he said.
"I don't think everyone doing it is necessarily in a gang."
Hargett said he doesn't believe the amount of gang graffiti in the city truly represents the number of gang members in the community.
"I don't want to say that we don't have a gang problem because any one gang member is a problem," he said.
Officials do not believe, however, that the widespread use of gang graffiti accurately represents the number of gang members.
Investigators are currently looking into a string of vandalism including that along Gandy Street near the railroad crossing.
"Eventually we will apprehend the people responsible for it and prosecute them," Hargett said.