Gary Public Safety Committee reviews CPO 2025-18 to curb graffiti, set fines and enforcement procedures

At a Public Safety Committee meeting, members discussed CPO 2025-18, an ordinance of the City of Gary sponsored by Mary Eddie Melton that would prohibit graffiti, define enforcement authority, and set fines and procedural steps for cleanup.

A city staff member presenting the ordinance said the mayor was "very serious and adamant about getting [it] passed to address the proliferation of graffiti within the city." The presenter described the measure as intended to "attack the problem" by defining graffiti to include spray-paint vandalism, unauthorized "snipe signs" placed in parkways or on poles, and possession of graffiti implements when there is evidence of imminent use.

The ordinance would make carrying or possessing graffiti implements a violation in situations identified by police, require stores that sell spray paint to post warnings and check minors, and increase duties…