“Graffiti might be a disruptive form of art; nevertheless…it’s still art!”- AYURI

As a New Yorker whether you’re from Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, or The Bronx, if you’ve ever rode the “Iron Horse” better known as the MTA subway system you’ve seen graffiti scattered throughout train cars, subway walls, elevated lay-ups, street corners, and roof tops. Vandal Squad: Inside the New York City Transit Police Department, 1984-2004 by Joseph “Joe Blow” Rivera retired officer and former member, gives extraordinary insight into the world of some of New York’s graffiti artist as told from a law enforcement view. If you ever found yourself wondering, “How did they get up there to spray paint that?” or “Who in the hell is REV?” then this book is definitely for you.

Joseph Rivera’s tales are as vivid as the graffiti graphics captured for this charismatic autobiography of his life’s work. After reading this book I found myself having a new outlook on the graffiti world’s pro’s and con’s, and every aspect it took into cracking down on what some people would consider visual destruction and others would consider art.

While some of us can remember a time were you would see the train cars covered with graffiti, the seats and windows torn out and tokens were used to pay fares, many of us are use to seeing today’s subway system with hi-tech digital screens, computerized announcers, and fares are paid with Metro Cards. Thanks to the Clean Car Program of 1984 and the no tolerance attitude on crime under the Giuliani administration the Vandal Squad a division of the New York City Transit police have set forth much of what we see today.

Far be it for me to give you all the details about this one. This book is not only one of a kind in its genre but a prominent collectors item for street artist and graffiti admirers coast to coast.

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