Torrance police officers quickly cover up racist graffiti painted next to little league field
Torrance police officers immediately sprung into action when they found a massive hate message graffitied onto a wall next to a little league field.
"It was profanity, and the profanity was specifically directed at a race, using a derogatory term to describe them, which caught the officer's eye," said Torrance Police Department Sgt. Ron Salary.
According to Torrance police, officers Jesus Garcia and Zachery Sledge were called out to the corner of Western Avenue and Plaza Del Amo on Thursday, Oct. 6. When they arrived and discovered the profanity-laced graffiti, the officer immediately contacted a clean-up crew to cover the vile message.
However, when they learned that the crew would not be able to get there immediately they took matters into their own hands. Garcia and Sledge drove a Lowe's just a block away, got some paint and rollers and went to work.
"They kind of put themselves into a situation where if they happen to be walking by with their family and saw something like that, they want to do something about it," said Salary. "That's why they went and bought paint themselves. Even though they're in uniform, to them, they felt like this was the right thing to do."
Their actions were so swift that the employees of the trucking company that operates on the other side of the wall had no idea the hate message was even there.
"That's a kind gesture for the officers to do that," said truck dispatcher Alex Ochoa.
After business hours, Ochoa said he often sees little league families in the area, many of whom park on their lot. He also said he was appreciative of the officers who kept the area hate-free.
"Just thank you," he said. "Nobody had to wake up and see the message that was left behind by somebody that shouldn't have left behind."
The trucking company is now providing police with security camera footage that may have caught the vandal in the act. Torrance police said they will be charged with vandalism and hate crime.
"This definitely does not represent the community of Torrance," said Salary. "It's not accepted in the community of Torrance whether you live here, visit, work or have a business here."