LOS ALAMITOS : Anti-Graffiti Law First Salvo on Gangs

A tough anti-graffiti ordinance was approved by the City Council this week, while the city considered other measures to quash the spread of gang-related activity.

Two weeks ago, 17-year-old Edward Navarrette was stabbed to death in what police believe was the first gang-related killing in the city. A 17-year-old suspect has been arrested.

Navarrette was killed while fighting off a group of teen-agers trying to crash a party he was hosting on San Mateo Avenue in northern Los Alamitos, police said.

At this week’s meeting, Councilman Ronald Bates suggested the city adopt a “zero tolerance” policy regarding parties that involve minors drinking, especially those with gang affiliations.

“When the Police Department goes out to the site and they observe juveniles drinking, the party should be shut down,” Bates said. “ . . . If there are minors there drinking that are known gang members, where it is visible they have gang affiliations, the party should be shut down.”

Bates said the city should make sure that the owner of the property or responsible party where such a party takes place is held accountable “to the fullest extent of the law.”

But Tony Borbon, program director of gang-prevention services for the private, nonprofit Community Service Program, said that while any dialogue between city officials and law enforcement agencies about the city’s gang situation was a positive step, each incident should be evaluated separately.

“We have to make sure, in our zealousness to reduce crime, that we aren’t going to impede the civil rights of individuals,” Borbon said. “You can’t make sweeping assumptions that since there are gang members at a party, there is criminal activity occurring.”

The ordinance approved by the council would require cleanup of graffiti within seven days after it is reported, city officials said. Those found guilty of applying graffiti would be held financially responsible for the cleanup.

“We want to formalize what we have been doing in practice the last few years,” Los Alamitos Police Chief James Guess said recently. “. . . There is teeth in the ordinance that will result in prompt removal of graffiti.”