Palmdale Seeking to Stem Tide of Graffiti

Palmdale officials, under siege from a widespread graffiti outbreak that has marred the city in recent weeks, are asking the public’s help in catching the culprits and promising tougher measures to stem the tide of black and blue paint.

The city, which already has a full-time worker painting out the scrawls, this week reported obliterating about 265,000 square feet of graffiti in the first eight months of this year, nearly three times the 93,000 square feet dealt with in all of 1990.

Sixteen people were arrested in Palmdale for graffiti offenses last month.

Palmdale Mayor Jim Ledford said the city should more sternly enforce a state law banning sales of spray paint to minors. Ledford also said the city should require merchants to lock up spray paint cans awaiting sale, though whether cities can enforce such a requirement is an issue now pending before the state Supreme Court.

Palmdale also will participate in a new sheriff’s program for the Antelope Valley, scheduled to begin Nov. 1, that will utilize civilian volunteers to look for graffiti vandals. And the city will continue to offer $1,000 rewards to residents who help authorities apprehend and convict offenders.

“We’re seeing a substantial increase” in graffiti, Ledford said. “We’re going to have to make an impact, and we are. But we’re going to have to do better.”

He also urged parents to better supervise their children to ensure they are not contributing to the graffiti problem.

In recent weeks, graffiti has been scrawled across block walls that surround many vast housing tracts in the city of 80,000--on the walls of businesses, on freeway and street signs, and even on trees and street lamps and other utility poles. Similar but less severe rashes of the vandalism have occurred in the past.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Bob Denham said most of the graffiti is the work of youthful taggers who scrawl their initials or the initials of their group, instead of more traditional gang-related graffiti. Some are bored youngsters, others are malcontents, and still others just want to be part of a group, he said.

Of the 16 arrested for graffiti in Palmdale last month, 14 were juveniles, including some as young as 12 and two girls. Two were adults, both age 19. All were Palmdale residents, Denham said. Most face misdemeanor charges, though some more serious cases are pending.

The city considered a local law several years ago to force merchants to lock up spray paint cans but never enacted it, Palmdale officials said. In the meantime, other cities such as Los Angeles and San Fernando did enact such a law. But paint manufacturers and vendors challenged the Los Angeles law.

Earlier this year, a state Court of Appeal ruled that the city’s measure was preempted by state law, which forbids sales to minors but does not require that cans be locked up. City officials say youngsters steal much of the paint.

Meanwhile, Palmdale officials urged residents who spot graffiti to call the city’s hot line--(805) 947-7433--to report the site so it can be painted over. Neighboring Lancaster has a similar program and graffiti hot line. That number is (805) 723-6212.