SHARP PARENTS CAN HELP STOP TAGGING.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Surveillance, hidden cameras, extra patrols and citizen vigilance might help curb the growing graffiti problem, but stopping taggers in their tracks might be as simple as opening a child's closet door.

Deputies on searches of probationers' homes have found closets covered in graffiti along with tagging materials and etching devices. Yet, parents often profess shock to learn their child is tagging, deputies say.

``Parents can do so much to head off problems,'' Los Angeles County sheriff's Deputy Max Godinez said. ``They need to be the boss. It's OK to search their rooms, but not OK to be oblivious to the problems.''

Graffiti incidents averaged 216 per month last year. Vandalism seems to be concentrated in Canyon Country and Newhall, said community services coordinator Jene Yochim.

City staff and volunteers from the Pride Committee trained to use high-powered pressure washers have eliminated more than 200 taggings so far this year. City staffers work with sheriff's deputies to keep track of graffiti hot spots.

To build skills and speed, taggers must practice somewhere. Deputies routinely find notebooks filled with designs, known as ``piecebooks,'' in the homes of youthful offenders, along with design-filled walls covered by hanging clothing.

``Parents should search kids' rooms periodically,'' Godinez said. ``If their personal belongings, like notebooks or shoes, have graffiti on them, that's a sign. If they have an excessive amount of marking instruments and they're not art students, that's a pretty easy way to tell they're up to no good. And most high school art projects don't require 1-inch thick black permanent markers.''

Mike Tunget, school deputy for Golden Valley and Bowman high schools and La Mesa Junior High, is another advocate for parental involvement in all aspects of a child's life.

``Don't keep rowing up that river of denial,'' he said. ``Look under mattresses and through their papers. If you see ganglike names, like Droopy or Rage in their notes, question them.

``Know where your kids are and what they're doing,'' he admonished. ``There's a girl who hangs with a pretty bad gang and is deeply wrapped up between them and their rival. But she's home from school on time every day and her mom has no idea who her friends are.''

Sheriff's officials are aware of five major gangs in Santa Clarita and several tagging crews not aligned with any specific gang. Godinez said Latino gangs are the most prolific taggers because visibility is part of their culture.

Bowman High, whose enrollment includes a number of students on probation, has taken measures to curtail taggers; student folders must be kept out in the open for inspection by teachers and staff.

``At other schools, you don't see things in their backpacks and they (offenders) fly under the radar,'' Tunget said.

``Don't think your kid has to look like a gang member to be in trouble,'' he warned. ``They could be hanging with the wrong crowd. I've stopped being surprised when I see good kids go bad. Generally, you know kids who hang with the gangbangers and it's no surprise when they fall under their influence.''

To report incidents of graffiti, call [phone] or the graffiti hotline at (661) 25-CLEAN.

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com