Signal Hill : Council Makes First Use of Anti-Graffiti Reward Fund
A few months ago, when Dwight Barnes saw a man spray painting graffiti on the walls and fences of a building on Orange Avenue, he got on his car telephone and called the police.
A month later, Andre Petway, after spotting a similar scene on Cherry Avenue, walked into the Signal Hill Police Department and reported what he saw.
This week, the Signal Hill City Council applauded the residents’ involvement by authorizing a $500 reward to each one. It was the first time the council tapped into a new ordinance that rewards residents for reporting graffiti suspects who are caught and prosecuted.
In Barnes’ case, police arrested a juvenile, who pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay $1,882 for the damage he had caused, according to a report to the council. Petway’s call led to the arrest of two juveniles, whose court case is pending, according to the staff report.
Police Cmdr. David Singer said that such involvement by residents helps police because “it’s like having extra sets of eyes out there.”
The small city surrounded by Long Beach does not have a serious graffiti problem when compared to other cities in the county, Singer said.
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