Santa Clarita / Antelope Valley : Lancaster Approves 9-Point Plan to Combat Graffiti : Vandalism: The program includes creating a special committee and a hot line to help fight the growing problem.

Lancaster officials called a news conference to declare a war on graffiti last month. Now, they are trying to make good on their promise.

The City Council on Monday approved a nine-point strategy that it hopes will “result in effective reduction in graffiti and vandalism within the city of Lancaster.”

Like many Southern California communities, Lancaster has experienced a significant increase in graffiti on buildings, walls and many other objects.

Just two years ago, the city removed 203,352 square feet of graffiti from 942 locations. Last year, the amount of graffiti jumped to 852,000 square feet in 4,764 locations.

“The citizens of Lancaster are sick and tired of what’s happening with the graffiti in our community,” said Mayor Arnie Rodio.

The nine-point program, which includes several efforts that are already under way, calls for the city to form a graffiti abatement committee and also establish a hot line for reporting graffiti.

“The program has been developed to obtain immediate results by identifying and arresting graffiti suspects,” said Sheriff’s Sgt. Darrel Brown, who serves as liaison to Lancaster.

Brown said he developed the program by evaluating steps that have proven successful in other communities.

Councilman Henry Hearns supported adoption of the program but also repeated a request he previously made that the city also support programs that would channel taggers into art rather than illegal painting of walls and the like.

The program states “never will graffiti criminals be referred to as ‘artists.’ ‘

Other steps in the program include investigation and tracking of graffiti incidents; identification, surveillance and arrest of graffiti suspects; and a reward program for residents who provide information that leads to the conviction of graffiti vandals.

Furthermore, the city will begin tracking the locations where graffiti markings are being painted and will also try to increase community awareness of the problem.