Graffiti and riverfront security

The city of Cape Girardeau deserves credit for trying to cover offensive graffiti on the riverside of the floodwall as quickly as possible. But as anyone who regularly walks the area knows, it's an unending job. Part of the problem is that the riverfront, away from access gates, is an isolated space that makes it difficult if not impossible for police to happen upon a crime in action. Video cameras could be a solution to the problem. Limiting access at certain hours, perhaps in conjunction with video cameras, might also be necessary.

Parks and Recreation Board chairman Troy Vaughan made the point to this newspaper last week that the river walk is a "showcase" for the community that will only become more visible after the new Isle of Capri casino opens this fall.

Unfortunately, even blocks of gray paint, covering over obscene words and images, detract from this showcase. The words and images themselves, too often visible before being covered, are even worse. That's why Vaughn is correct in asking the city -- and his committee -- to think about how to prevent graffiti.

Of course, graffiti is but one type of crime that can take place in the isolation that marks much of the river walk. The last thing the downtown -- or casino -- needs is a bad event to take place on the walk. With last week's incident on the LaCroix trail, it should be clear that there are risks to any kind of recreation trail, and it would be impossible to make any public space totally risk free. But the current situation on the riverfront needs more attention.

Vaughn deserves credit for raising the issue at a parks meeting, and the city deserves credit for covering over graffiti. But it is important the discussion and planning continue, getting at the larger issues, so that the bad experiences do not escalate to something worse than bad words and pictures.