Around Oakley: City tries to crack down on graffiti

Boredom seems to have set in for Oakley kids as city officials report an increase in graffiti over the past several days. The uptick appears to have coincided with spring break starting in both the Oakley Elementary School District and the Liberty Union High School District.

"We've seen an increase in the past seven days or so," said Bob Downing, the city's code enforcement officer.

Downing said it is a top priority of the City Council, city managers and himself to control graffiti and general spray painting throughout the city. "We can't always keep up as quickly as we would like, especially when it escalates like it has done, but we do try," Downing said.

The city has a goal of cleaning up graffiti within 24 hours from when it is reported or found. Last week, there were some markings on the corner of Vintage Parkway and Big Break Road, which was cleaned up within that time period.

Downing said that spray painting, tagging and graffiti are usually the work of kids between the ages of 13 and 18. Unfortunately, most of the time the perpetrators are not caught and the activities go on, leaving a mess for someone else to clean up.

The age-old question is why do kids feel the need to destroy others' property? There is no simple answer.

Downing said that sometimes these kids are just gang wannabes who think it's cool to spray paint "X4" after a gang in the San Jose and Oakland areas. Sometime the word "North" will be added to the name. That has been going on in Oakley for nearly two decades. The symbol "SM" — meaning "small mafia" — is relatively new.

The idea that graffiti is an art form plays a role as well, but generally most of the graffiti are a bunch of scribbles left on fences and street signs. Even graffiti for art sake is against the law, and Downing said those caught are arrested and restitution is part of their punishment.

Anyone witnessing someone spray-painting is asked to call the police immediately. Otherwise, graffiti should be reported to Downing's office. If he isn't in the office, he says to leave a message with the location of the graffiti. Contact Downing at 925-625-7031.

The city cannot guarantee that the exact color of paint can be matched when cleaning up a graffiti spot. "Generally, we try to clean it with a pressure cleaner and a special cleaning agent," Downing said.

If they don't work, they repaint the mark.

If the kids are just bored and looking for something to do, the city is offering its spring lineup of activities.

A complete list can be found at www.ci.oakley.ca.us. The recreation guide is listed on the home page, and offers activities for all ages.

Instead of tagging, maybe those skateboarders could practice their tricks. The city is offering a skateboard competition at Creekside Park at 1 p.m. on May 16. Registration is already open. The competition will offer five events, including freestyle, and prizes will be awarded. For details, contact the city at 925-625-7041.