Cleaning up Queens

They may not have badges or guns, but they’re policing the streets of Queens in a way all their own.
Citizens Against Graffiti Everywhere (C.A.G.E.), an association of community groups focused on erasing graffiti in Queens, was formed in September of 2005, when Fred Kress, then a member of the Rosedale Civic Association, decided graffiti was “out of control.”
“It was especially bad in Southeast Queens” said Kress. “People were talking about it and getting upset, and I said, ‘Well, let’s not just talk about it, let’s take action.’”
So Kress formed C.A.G.E., and less than two years later, the association has gained 55 participating groups, including the Spirit of Laurelton, the North Bellerose Civic Association, the Rocky Hill Civic Association, and the Creedmoor Civic Association (CCA), which spent Sunday, July 1 cleaning up areas of Bellerose.
Using solvent-coated wipes designed specifically to erase graffiti, CCA members scrubbed down areas of Braddock Avenue, Winchester Boulevard, 237th and 238th Streets, 88th Avenue and 235th Court.
“If you let a little bit of graffiti go, it’s just going to spread,” said CCA President Rick Duskiewicz. “The sooner we take care of it, the better.”
C.A.G.E.’s focus on graffiti, as opposed to other forms of environmental negligence, comes “out of necessity,” said Duskiewicz.
“Something like litter, for example, is usually just a matter of a homeowner who hasn’t gotten around to sweeping up,” he said. “With graffiti, the homeowners aren’t the ones who have put it there, and they’re not going to go out and buy spray paint and whatnot to get rid of it.”
Duskiewicz said he has no problem helping homeowners whose private property has been hit with graffiti, but only if the homeowner is willing to report the crime.
“The more the precinct knows, the better a response we get,” said Duskiewicz. “So it’s very important that we get them involved, get the issue out there.”
The issue, however, has already gained substantial publicity. For that, Duskiewicz credits Kress.
“He’s done things no one else would be able to do,” said Duskiewicz of Kress, whose leadership role has included the challenge of gaining financial support for C.A.G.E. from citizens and politicians.
“I think we’ve gained ground,” said Kress, a Rosedale resident who works as an insurance broker for small businesses. “I would say that Queens right now is about 90 percent graffiti-free.”
But for Kress, pushing graffiti out of Queens will not solve the problem completely.
“We don’t want to push [vandals] out of Queens and into Brooklyn, and then give Brooklyn a problem,” he said. “Ultimately, we want our organization to be in all five boroughs.”
For now, however, Queens residents have reason to feel encouraged. Thanks to C.A.G.E., the borough is a cleaner place.