This week a local policing team from Mandurah Police visited a number of primary schools as part of a broader campaign to prevent graffiti in the community.
Mandurah police senior sergeant Steve Thompson said while the crack-down involved enforcement and catching offenders, another key component was education.
“This year the focus was on providing information to the primary schools, last year it was high schools,” Mr Thompson said.
“Graffiti is a criminal offense, it’s not art, it’s not fun to do, it’s not something young people should get involved in.”
The police visited Dudley Park, Greenfields, Comet Bay, Secret Harbour, Mandurah and Lakelands primary schools.
“We let them know what graffiti is, and how it differs from street art, which is by contrast, art that is done with permission,” Mr Thompson said.
“It’s just so we get that nice and early education, right at the very beginning of their development years.”
Mr Thompson said that although graffiti was still a prevalent issue in Mandurah, he had seen it decline in recent years.
"It still exists, and it still needs to be dealt with and hopefully stamped out.”