Fallbrook steps up fight against graffiti

Fallbrook has taken a giant step forward in the fight against graffiti by becoming the first community in the county to join forces with San Diego-based Crime Stoppers in order to provide a reward for those helping to identify and put behind bars those individuals who commit the damaging acts.

It was Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bob Leonard who made the partnership a reality for the benefit of the community.

“We needed to take more proactive steps in regards to graffiti,” Leonard said. “I don’t feel that we have what you would call an extreme situation, but we certainly don’t want it to get that way.”

From January 1 to December 20, 2007, the Fallbrook Sheriff’s Substation received 556 calls relating to acts of vandalism (graffiti is classified as a type of vandalism). Out of those calls, 227 cases were written by detectives.

The acts of vandalism in 2007 were down slightly from the 2006 number of 576 calls and 270 cases written.

At a press conference held December 20 at the Fallbrook Sheriff’s Substation, Leonard joined Sheriff’s Lieutenant Alex Dominguez, Sheriff’s Deputy Adriana Uribe and Crime Stoppers Executive Director Sally Cox in announcing the new collaborative effort between the Fallbrook Anti-Graffiti Task Force and Crime Stoppers.

Numerous community groups participate in the Fallbrook Anti-Graffiti Task Force, including the Chamber of Commerce, Fallbrook Rotary Anti-Graffiti Enforcement, Keep Fallbrook Clean and Green and the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance.

The task force was formed to address the problem of graffiti in Fallbrook and to expedite its removal.

The addition of Crime Stoppers to the program will allow local residents to collect a monetary award for reporting suspects behind the acts of graffiti.

By calling Crime Stoppers, an organization that originated in 1984, residents will be able to provide law enforcement officers with information in a safe, anonymous manner and be eligible for a reward of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest of a felony suspect. (A felony arrest for graffiti means the property damage must amount to $400 or more.)

“This is the first graffiti outreach program that we have done in the county,” Uribe said. “When residents call Crime Stoppers with information, they are given a tip number. Everything stays anonymous and the caller doesn’t have to worry about repercussions – backlash – from it.”

Not only will the information be followed up on immediately, but help cleaning up the graffiti will be offered after the notification process.

Fallbrook Rotary has a long-standing program whereby their volunteers paint over the graffiti damage quickly, following the documentation necessary by the Sheriff’s Department.

“If graffiti is not cleaned up immediately, it can give an impression that the area is not being watched,” Lt. Dominguez said. “It leaves people with a sense of being less secure. This is something we feel we need to address, because it can lead to the perception that the community will tolerate more serious crimes. This is a quality of life issue.”

The Fallbrook Anti-Graffiti Task Force has plans for parent outreach programs to be offered through the local school districts to educate parents about graffiti and gang activity and to enlist parents’ help in the fight against graffiti.

How to report graffiti

1. If you see graffiti in the process of being committed, immediately call the Sheriff’s dispatch line at (760) 728-1113 – or call 9-1-1 – to have a unit respond to the scene.

2. If you see that graffiti has been committed but it appears that the suspects have already left, call the Sheriff’s Office Senior Volunteers at (760) 451-3144 or (760) 451-3145 to report the location and nature of the graffiti. This is how the crime will be documented and photographed for law enforcement purposes.

3. If you saw who committed the graffiti crime, or feel you know the identity of the individual, call Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-TIPS to report your information. English- and Spanish-speaking operators are on staff. Keep the tip number given to you.