Commerce honors graffiti-removal crew as residents and council press for faster enforcement

The City of Commerce on Jan. 13 recognized its graffiti-removal crew for quick, often same‑day, responses to tagging across the city while residents and council members pressed the city and the sheriff's department for clearer reporting channels and faster follow-up on potentially violent graffiti incidents.

Council formally presented certificates to six crew members named during the meeting and thanked the group for preserving neighborhood appearance. Several council members and residents noted the crew's fast response time as a key deterrent to repeat tagging. "You guys are cleaning things up, and that's part of what makes us different from many other communities," a councilmember said during the recognition.

During public comment resident Frank Martinez said graffiti near Bandini Elementary appeared to be gang-related and described an episode when he called the sheriff's dispatch and later saw rival tagging and a law-enforcement response. Martinez asked for a permanent, clear chain of command and faster callbacks from city staff when a potential escalation is reported. Mayor and council members asked staff to ensure Martinez receives a return call and to track follow-up actions.

Sergeant Ozzie Cortez of the East Los Angeles Sheriff's Station, newly assigned to Commerce, told council how callers can improve dispatch information to get a faster, more tailored patrol response: be present or a witness if possible, request to speak with the deputy upon arrival, and include concrete information in the dispatch remarks. Cortez said law enforcement is limited when a crime has not yet occurred, but recommended callers ask dispatch to identify them as witnesses or request detention if they want a documented contact for later court actions.

Deputy Probation Officer Joseph McClellan, who later briefed council on probation caseloads, said his office is collecting graffiti-related data and working with other departments to inform patrol and prevention strategies.

Council asked staff to notify the sheriff's office about priority locations, to capture complaint contact numbers on speaker cards, and to follow up with residents where possible. The mayor directed staff to return to Martinez with a callback and for departments to coordinate a clearer reporting pathway for non-emergency but urgent community safety concerns.

The council did not take formal policy action on the matter at the meeting; staff committed to follow-up with both the resident and the sheriff's office.