Lane Reul

Lane Reul is well known in Missoula, MT for unselfish dedication and service to the citizens of the state of Montana through the Missoula Police Department.

Lane has shown dedication and sacrifice which have exemplified citizenship. Lane is a Missoula citizen volunteer who has been involved with the Missoula Police Anti- Graffiti Task Force for over 10 years. In the past, this program has set the standard in quick response to graffiti sites and eradication of unsightly graffiti. For many people, often times the elderly, the service has been the only means of dealing with graffiti on their homes or businesses. The immediate eradication of unsightly graffiti helps quell the fears that graffiti can instill in the community.

Lane has coordinated with officers in the Crime Prevention Department to keep the Anti-Graffiti Task Force vibrant. He tirelessly tackled the graffiti problem in the City by eradicating graffiti wherever it was encountered, singlehandedly. Without adequate funding, he sought donations wherever he could find them. More recently, the task force has added a new volunteer, and has received grants and donations to help fund expenses. In 2006, Lane processed 190 graffiti sites. This number exceeded the total number of the previous five years combined!

Lane is always ready with paint and roller in his truck and looks for sites that had not yet been reported; his patience never wavers. When his task is done, it sometimes would have to be repeated as vandals crept back during the night, undoing his work. Lane always returns undaunted to rid the City of the unwanted vandals’ paint. His work even gained recognition from the vandals themselves, who would leave messages for "The Grayman," as they named him, for his use of gray paint to cover graffiti under bridges and elsewhere. For his work, the citizens of Missoula can never be grateful enough. Lane has spent countless hours of his time over the years providing his services. The Missoula PD salutes Lane Reul!