Brent WhitingThe Arizona RepublicDec. 3, 2007 12:00 AM
Nearly two dozen people have been arrested since August when the Glendale Police Department launched a crackdown on graffiti.The suspects, mostly juveniles, are believed to be responsible for about $40,000 in property damage, said Officer Randy Stewart, who is assigned nearly full time to the enforcement effort.Still pending are attempts to solve other graffiti cases resulting in an additional $20,000 in damage, he said.
"Graffiti is so difficult to investigate," Stewart said. "That's because it's so random and occurs at all hours of the night and day. And there is very little evidence, if any, that is left behind."Stewart, a five-year member of the Glendale force, said the most prevalent form of graffiti is "tagging." That's when vandals use spray paint or markers to leave their nicknames or other monikers in public or private places, Stewart said.Tagging accounts for perhaps 90 percent of graffiti vandalism, Stewart said. The rest can be attributed to street gangs and, to a much lesser extent, people who commit hate crimes.Late last month, Stewart conducted investigations into tagging at Deer Valley High School and surrounding areas in north Glendale, as well as graffiti at businesses near the city's downtown area.Glendale launched the crackdown after two men were arrested Aug. 21 on charges related to spray-painting graffiti at two businesses near 57th and Peoria avenues.The suspects, ages 21 and 25, were charged with criminal damage and trespassing. Their cases are pending in Glendale City Court.The men were taken into custody a day before Steve Conrad, the Glendale police chief, told the City Council that an officer would be named to a nearly full-time assignment to battle the nuisance.Too often, the culprits have never been caught, Conrad said.Until the crackdown, graffiti was among a number of property crimes classified as "criminal damage."Now, graffiti is reported under a separate heading, a move intended to get a better grasp on the number of incidences throughout Glendale, police say.Lt. Frank Balkcom, a police supervisor who is helping oversee the latest enforcement effort, said public and business partnerships have been forged to go after graffiti vandals."This is an important first step," Balkcom said. "Taggers need to know that if they are going to tag in the city, they are going to be held accountable."In the meantime, a three-member team of city employees, known as "Graffiti Busters," continues to sand, scrub and paint away thousands of graffiti instances on city property.During the fiscal year that began July 1, 2006, the crew provided elbow grease for 14,060 cleanups, said Stuart Kent, the city's field operations director.From July through October of this year, the crew has engaged in 4,831 more cleanups, Kent said. The city plans to hire a fourth worker to help out.
