Hollister
– Before temperatures really heat up this summer, the Hollister
Police Department is inviting residents to do some last-minute
spring cleaning Saturday.
Hollister – Before temperatures really heat up this summer, the Hollister Police Department is inviting residents to do some last-minute spring cleaning Saturday.
The department hasn’t held a graffiti abatement day since November, so police are hoping concerned citizens will show up and pitch in. Capt. Richard Vasquez said the day is an opportunity to rid the city of eyesores and take a stand against graffiti.
Although the police department doesn’t specifically keep graffiti statistics, Vasquez said gang and other forms of tagging remain a steady problem in the city.
“We encourage families to come out and take part in it,” Vasquez said.
The department’s volunteers in policing team has been scouting the city for graffiti in past weeks, the captain added.
A group of officers, volunteers in policing and anyone interested in the cleanup will meet at 9am Saturday in the city yard at the dead end of South Street in Hollister. Supplies will be provided, including paint, but the department encourages donations to the anti-graffiti cause.
Besides concerned individuals, several youth groups will be in attendance.
The League of United Latino American Citizens’ youth group will be there as always, said Mickie Luna, the local chapter president.
“We have a very good working relationship with Chief (Jeff) Miller,” Luna said.
The group even receives reports of graffiti from concerned citizens, she said.
More than 20 LULAC youth members have attended previous graffiti abatement days, said Luna, whose husband, Vince Luna, coordinates the group’s cleanup efforts.
“These young people have a heart to keep their community clean,” she said.
Luna spoke of a teenager who spray painted graffiti and joined the youth group one day for the cleanup – that the boy felt bad seeing his friends cleaning what he and others had done, Luna said.
“I think just by him admitting that made him a better person,” she said.
