Neighborhood watch considered for Larson Housing graffiti issue

MOSES LAKE - Grant County Sheriff Tom Jones knows the graffiti problem in the Larson Housing area needs to be addressed and called on the community to step up.

Jones said statistics for the densely populated community don't reflect the extent of the problem, citing many of the incidents go unreported.

"I would rather have our deputies respond out here and it be nothing than not responding and it's something big," he said at a meeting this week in the housing area. "One of the frustrating things for us, and I tell people, is we can't fix it if we don't know it's broken."

Jones said the volume of calls in the Larson area are down 20 percent so far this year, compared to the first four months of 2012 but he doesn't think criminal activity is decreasing.

The county recently approved an ordinance creating a 90-day minimum sentence for graffiti convictions but Deputy Prosecutor Tyson Hill said the ordinance does not pertain to juvenile offenders who are the usual suspects in graffiti cases.

Much of the almost 70 residents at the meeting agreed a neighborhood watch could be the next step in increasing the reporting of suspicious activity and reducing graffiti.

"There's a lot of hidden corners, a lot of out of the way places and a lot of places that don't face residential areas that allow for the criminal element to conduct business," Jones said.

Jones added he would 100 percent support a neighborhood watch program as long as citizens are not confronting suspicious subjects. He said community involvement is necessary. The sheriff's office would help facilitate efforts to begin the program, including bringing in members from a successful Desert Aire program.

"Eventually we're hoping to have theses kids get the point that spray painting is not worth their time," Jones said. "It's just going to get covered up."

When asked if deputies could increase patrols in the area, Jones said deputies already spend the majority of their time close to the area. The Larson area has the highest volume of calls in the county, Jones said.

Even without a neighborhood watch, Jones said citizens should report any suspicious activity

"It's about communicating with your neighbors," he said. "If you hear something, if you see something, call."

There was some concern in the room of retaliation if suspects know the person reported a crime, a mindset Jones said also needs to change, pointing out callers can remain anonymous.

Jones also discussed a reward system for reporting incidents of graffiti.

"Money is a heck of a motivator," he said.