July 13-25, 2007
Volume 7, Number 10 Portland, ME

COPS LINK GANG TO LOCAL GRAFFITI

Portland police are investigating a possible connection between graffiti that has been showing up across the city and a gang known as the Latin Kings.

The graffiti letters spelling the word "DUKE" were scrawled on the statue in Longfellow Square recently. According to police, the word stands for Disciples Use Knowledge Every Day, and it has a supposed connection to the gang. There are some members of the group in Portland, including one member who is now in jail serving a sentence for murder.

Police spokesman Sergeant Robert Martin said that the Gay/Lesbian Alliance has complained to the police because they think they're being targeted, and that the letters stand for "DYKE." But Martin says that's not the case. Detective Mary Sauschuck is the Portland detective working on the case.

Meanwhile, the City has contracted a restoration expert to remove the latest graffiti from the Longfellow statue. That work was scheduled to be performed on July 11th. The Portland Downtown District has removed graffiti from the statue twice in the last several weeks, but does not have the expertise to perform the work without causing possible damage to the landmark structure.