HERMITAGE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Some residents and businesses are scared to speak publicly after graffiti markings, which are believed to be possibly gang-related, showed up on the Central Pike bridge.

Graffiti can tell a story; sometimes it is art, other times, a warning. A crime expert said gangs use it both ways as a public sign to make their presence known.

“The bridge is prone to tagging,” District 14 Councilman Jordan Huffman said. “It's been prone to tagging for years now.”

Hermitage residents have reached out to Huffman asking for the Central Pike bridge to be cleaned up, but he said it is a work in progress.

“Some of the symbols behind me are gang-related,” Huffman pointed out to News 2.

Middle Tennessee State University Criminal Justice Professor Carter Smith has been studying markings for years.

“I think what should run through most citizens' minds is, ‘Is that gang graffiti, or is that somebody's version of art?’ Smith said.

“There's been gang activity in Nashville that I have known of since 35 to 40 years ago,” he added. 

According to Smith, the signs are a good indicator of what is going on in the area.

“If the police or a regular citizen notice it, then you can pretty much bet that the people who were supposed to see it, who it was intended for, have already also seen it,” he said.

News 2 reached out to the Metro Nashville Police Department, and they said graffiti on private property is vandalism, adding there is no subcategory recorded. Although, normally when they see gang issues, it reportedly involves those in their teens to 20s.

“All the police departments in the area that I'm familiar with will address gang activity, whether it's graffiti, or presence or other indications,” Smith said. “And they shouldn't be ignored.”

Some people that News 2 spoke with said they worry about retaliation if they voice concerns. However, Smith said that will not fix the problem. 

“Enough people have to be annoyed for something to go away; otherwise, they're tolerating it,” he said. “And that's rarely the right strategy.”

Huffman said he heard those complaints, and the city has done what it can to cover parts of the graffiti.

“Because it's so high up and it's on the bridge itself, I've been working with a representative from R.J. Corman to ensure that they can get it covered up,” Huffman told News 2.

The railroad company is set to clean up the markings at the end of October.

Huffman said criminals should watch out; the Hermitage police precinct is cracking down on crime, and you may start to see more officers in the area soon.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/nashville/possible-gang-tags-found-in-hermitage-raise-safety-concerns/