Midlands Gang Task Force Receives Contribution to Tackle Graffiti

Photo: Rich Wandover

RICHLAND COUNTY, S.C. (PRESS RELEASE) – Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook, and University of South Carolina Police Chief Chris Wuchenich have teamed up with Keep the Midlands Beautiful and Palmetto Pride to rid communities of graffiti.

The Midlands Gang Task Force in partnership with the Graffiti Abatement Program and Lowe’s of Harbison, whose generous $1,000.00 contribution of paint supplies will help remove unsightly gang graffiti that degrade the walls of our businesses and neighborhoods.

Keep the Midlands Beautiful and Palmetto Pride are non-profit organizations geared towards keeping our environment clean and healthy. One of the programs that the organizations support is the “Graffiti Abatement Program”. This program works tirelessly to remove graffiti and to return communities back to its pristine origins.

Sheriff Leon Lott believes that removing gang graffiti is one very positive and effective strategy at making gangs aware that gang activity will simply not be tolerated in our community; the Columbia Police Department, and the University of South Carolina Police Department all echo the sentiments. Jacqueline Buck, Executive Director with Keep the Midlands Beautiful, stated that community pride can lead to lowered crime rates; a point in which law enforcement agrees with and will continue to practice.

The Midlands Gang Task Force is comprised of local and State agencies working together to identify and arrest those who are affiliates or associated with gangs in the Midlands.