ANAHEIM : Private Security to Curb Graffiti Urged

To combat an explosion in graffiti throughout the city, Councilman Frank Feldhaus wants to hire a private security firm to patrol the streets looking for vandals.

Feldhaus made the suggestion during Tuesday’s City Council meeting, saying he would like the city to hire a firm for three months as an experiment to see if it can slow the 30% increase in graffiti that has been reported this year.

“We know the spots that are getting hit with graffiti,” Feldhaus said. “We could stake out those areas.”

Feldhaus estimates that a three-month program would cost about $25,000, and he wants the city administration to contact local security firms to see if they would want the job.

The council last month adopted an ordinance that will make parents responsible for paying for the cleanup for their children’s graffiti--adult vandals must make restitution themselves-- and requires retailers to keep their spray paint out of the reach of potential shoplifters.

Feldhaus said more needs to be done.

“We need to send a clear message” that graffiti will not be tolerated, he said.

The other council members said they liked Feldhaus’ concept but want a report from Police Chief Joseph T. Molloy first.

The city has been receiving about 130 reports a week of graffiti vandalism, up from 100 a week last year. Officials say only about 25% of all graffiti is reported to the city.

The police say there are now 95 identified “tagging crews,” or graffiti gangs, in the city, contrasted with five last year. Two officers were recently assigned to the graffiti problem full time, and they have been coordinating periodic stakeouts of areas that are often hit by taggers.

The city spends $250,000 a year on graffiti cleanup, which is supplemented by a corps of volunteers that paints out graffiti each weekend using supplies donated by local hardware dealers.

The city also offers $500 rewards to anyone who offers information leading to the arrest and conviction of a graffiti vandal.