Thread: Gang graffiti found on memorial to slain Burbank officer

www.montereyherald.com

Posted on Fri, Jul. 22, 2005



Gang graffiti found on memorial to slain Burbank officer


Associated Press

BURBANK, Calif. - Vandals spray painted a gang term for death on two freeway memorials to slain police Officer Matthew Pavelka, prompting police to take down the markers.

"What you have here is an individual who has given his life to a particular cause, and people just vandalize it," said Sgt. Jay Jette. "It gets to be a little bit emotional."

The signs on both sides of the Interstate 5 were sprayed with "187" - the section for murder in the California penal code - and a gang nickname. Burbank police are investigating the case as vandalism.

Pavelka, a rookie officer, died during a Nov. 15, 2003 shootout with alleged members of a San Fernando Valley gang. The memorial signs were put up on the first anniversary of his death.

After his slaying, officials filed federal charges against about 64 of the gang's members and associates, accusing them of engaging in more than a decade of violence and killing two police officers.

Last week, a police task force formed to fight the gang arrested Burbank Councilwoman Stacey Murphy on suspicion of cocaine possession and child endangerment. Police also arrested her boyfriend, Scott Schaffer, on suspicion of trading guns for cocaine with suspected gang's members.

On Tuesday, authorities conducted additional raids on 21 people accused of being midlevel drug dealers working with the gang.

City officials said they consider the graffiti on the Pavelka memorials to be a threat.

"Why else would you put that on that sign?" Burbank Councilwoman Marsha Ramos said. "You know what it means, and it's a police officer. It's absolutely awful."

HOW DISRESPTFUL AND UGLY! THESE HISPANIC GANG MEMBERS HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO REGARD FOR HUMAN LIFE. WHAT A BUNCH OF HATEFUL LOWLIFE MORONS. EVEN 'VANDALS' IS TOO NICE OF A WORD FOR THEM!

There was an article posted this week on the 150,000 gang members in Los Angeles. I don't know if this greater area of LA takes in Burbank or not. Many of these gangs and gang members are illegal aliens that the federal government should have prevented from entering the country to begin with and as soon as they were sighted here in the states, they should have been summarily deported. While there would still be some gang activity, it would be greatly reduced.

American Police Officers need to stand up to the Mayors of these cities and send a clear messge that they will not stand down to illegal aliens or anyone that supports illegal immigration.

I urge they take this political action on their own behalf and their families as well as their fellow citizens.

Originally Posted by Judy

the 150,000 gang members in Los Angeles.

do you realize that's more soldiers than we have in Iraq fighting the war on terror?