Assistance requested to deal with gangs

RITZVILLE – Juan Garza, Administrator of Adams County Juvenile Services, reported to Adams County Commissioners, asking for additional assistance Wednesday, April 7.

Garza said dealing with gangs was taking up most of the department's time.

“At the end of 2019, we started to see a rise in gangs coming in, even in the middle school age,” Garza said, presenting a notebook of gang-related graffiti in the community from 2020. He presented a notebook of graffiti from 2021, stating four months into the year, the notebook is already almost as thick.

“Only when these kids are locked up are we seeing a relaxation in graffiti,” Garza said.

Commissioner Dan Blankenship asked if this was kids moving into the already who already had gang affiliation, or if it was gangs coming in and recruiting kids.

“I think there's some adults in our community that are recruiting," Garza said. “They started recruiting a couple years ago very young, and now these kids are starting to become high school age and they're taking it to another level. There's fights all the time with gangs.”

Garza said they were conducting an Aggression Replacement Training class with kids required to take it based on risk assessment at adjudication.

He said he was bringing the issue to commissioners because the community service supplies fund was being depleted, and paint purchased to cover up graffiti that used to cost $50 to $70 dollars for five gallons now cost between $130 to $180.

“I'm having to drive now to Grant County to Lowe’s to buy paint because I can get a five-gallon bucket of maintenance white paint for $32,” Garza said.

He said they've even asked for donations from companies.

“And some of them will give, but it's not enough. It's really hard for us to go to them for a donation every month,” Garza said.

Garza said there were no issues in Ritzville or Lind or Washtucna.

"This is the first time, knock on wood, that we have not had one kid on probation or diversion from Ritzville, Lind or Washtucna in forever; for the last six months," Garza said. "Right now we have 100% of our kids on probation are in Othello.”

Garza said they were setting up work crew projects for juvenile offenders in Washtucna, Lind and Hatton.

Garza said the city of Othello made an ordinance stating if there is graffiti on a property, the property owner has a certain amount of time to get it removed or they will be fined; asking commissioners to look into the possibility of creating a similar ordinance for the county.

“Graffiti in the county stays up a lot longer than in the city, because of this ordinance,” Garza said.

He said in cases out in the county, if property owners contact juvenile services they could take care of the graffiti for them.

Commissioner Terry Thompson asked if there was as much graffiti in the panhandle as in the city, and Garza said they have gang members living in the city as well as the county.

“So at some point I might come to you guys to make an amendment to our budget if we run out,” Garza said. “Or we can just leave the graffiti up. I mean, we don't want to do that. We want people who are traveling to Othello to see a clean, beautiful city. So I want to bring up what the city does with their ordinance and see if there's anything we can do in the county that's similar to take care of that issue.”

City Attorney Randy Flyckt said the board is working on a comprehensive approach to code enforcement, so they could look at the issue in that context.

Garza asked if his part-time administrative assistant could become a full-time position. He suggested his staff member Javier Lopez, whose salary of $20,500 is currently paid by a grant from the Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative, become a county position.

“Because honestly, the $20,500 that we get is something that comes from legislature. And at any given moment, they can say, 'Sorry, we ran out of money, we can't give it to you anymore.' And that would mean his position is done. Terminated,” Garza said. “And so I would suggest we make that position a county position, and then use those funds to make my part-time secretary a full-time secretary. It still would require some funds to come out of county for that, because of benefit issues, but I think in the long run it's going to save us money.”

Commissioner Weise asked Garza to present a report stating the details of his request, and the board would "take a hard look at it."