Team effort results in less graffiti in Fallbrook

Those residents who have seen graffiti around town may notice that there is less of it compared to a few years ago. The decrease in the defacing of property is due to the efforts of a small group of volunteers and their partner in the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Those volunteers are part of the Fallbrook Beautification Alliance (FBA) and its Graffiti Removal Program.

On Oct. 4, FBA board members heard a report on the success of the program from Sheriff’s deputy Tim Clark, who has been keeping track of graffiti cases and perpetrators and requesting warrants for their arrest from the District Attorney’s office in an effort to stop the crime. His success in this area led the FBA to present Clark with a certificate of appreciation for his "extraordinary commitment to keeping Fallbrook safe and beautiful".

One person cannot stop the problem alone though, it takes teamwork. Alert and observant citizens call the Sheriff's graffiti hotline at (760) 451-3144 and report locations where they have seen signs of graffiti. Additionally, members of the Sheriff’s Senior Volunteer Patrol canvas Fallbrook to also add affected locations to the list.

The Sheriff's Department staff logs, photographs, and tracks the offenses, watching for trends and areas of particular concern, and builds a file to be used in the future to prosecute offenders.

After recording the details, the Sheriff's Department contacts the FBA to dispatch the clean up team, which currently consists of four volunteers, headed up by Shirley Fender. FBA volunteers may work alone or form their own mini-team. The FBA's goal is to clean off graffiti within 24 to 48 hours after notification.

The FBA cleans graffiti in public locations, and will assist business owners as much as possible. The FBA keeps supplies at a central location in town, including disposable brushes and rollers, as well as paints in various colors.

FBA members said that property owners are responsible for keeping their locations graffiti free; FBA's mission is to clean graffiti in public spaces. Deputy Clark said that when businesses are hit with graffiti, and their owners do not report it, “there is no victim, so no crime”.

It was observed by members of the graffiti cleanup team that some local business owners do not notice when there is graffiti on their buildings,

or that it is gone when the volunteers have painted over it for them.

Deputies are able to identify offenders by their signature painting styles and logos, which helps them build a case against those individuals. In instances where repeat or a substantial quantity of graffiti is identified to be linked to the same perpetrator, the case is processed through the District Attorney's office, and an arrest warrant may be issued.

In all cases, deputy Clark figures out the amount of money required to repair the damage done by the graffiti (even when painted over by volunteers). The amount of cost recovery is the amount required for restitution. In cases where the perpetrator is found guilty and he is a minor, his parents may be held responsible for restitution/damages. If the parents cannot afford to pay, that restitution may include asset forfeiture, a form of confiscation of assets, which may even include the parents’ house.

Deputy Clark’s efforts in identifying the perpetrators and pursuing multiple arrest warrants against them has dramatically cut down on the amount of graffiti now seen around Fallbrook. He also has learned to pick his battles. Areas that are popular places for graffiti and are out of the public view are left alone.

Fender has noticed that the people who create the graffiti just paint over each other’s work in those out of the way places (under bridges and in drainage tunnels). Of Clark, she said, “He’s something else!”

Senior Patrol volunteer Leslie Sinagub said that Clark has made a big difference. In her 12 years on patrol, she “had never had five weeks straight without [seeing] graffiti, until now”.

Anyone interested in getting involved in keeping Fallbrook graffiti free should call the graffiti hotline number, (760) 451-3144, and leave their name and phone number. They will be contacted by the FBA Graffiti Removal Chairperson.

For additional information about the FBA and its ongoing efforts to maintain and beautify Fallbrook, or to make a donation to support the work of the FBA, go to www.fallbrookbeautification.org.