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Council, police urge reporting as Royce City grapples with graffiti; juvenile work crews paused
Summary
Royce City police and council discussed the city’s graffiti problem and urged residents to report incidents. Police said juvenile court work crews that previously helped remove graffiti have not returned since the pandemic and that surveillance and restitution are primary tools for prosecution.
Royce City Council and police discussed graffiti and vandalism during the April 1 meeting and urged residents to report incidents so police can investigate and, where appropriate, seek restitution.
Police explained that a juvenile court program that previously supplied supervised crews for graffiti cleanup was suspended during COVID and has not resumed. Chief Gwen said the city faces both gang‑related graffiti and graffiti by juveniles with spray paint; she said surveillance, community reporting and social media leads are the best ways to develop investigative leads. “As long as kids have access to spray paint, we're gonna have a graffiti problem,” the chief told the council.
Police encouraged residents to call the department when they see graffiti so a report can be taken; multiple reports of the same location help prioritize cleanup and enforcement. The chief noted that when officers make an arrest in a vandalism case they can ask courts for restitution to cover private‑property repairs.
Council discussed possible prevention strategies — improved public awareness, more surveillance (private cameras), and reinitiating discussions with juvenile court about supervised work crews. Staff said the city remains responsible for cleanup on public property and that private property owners should consider surveillance and securing evidence to support investigations.
What’s next: Council asked staff and police to continue outreach and explore options with juvenile court to reestablish supervised cleanup programs, and asked that the city publicize reporting instructions for residents.
