Retired CHP Officer Catches Graffiti Artist Tagging Stockton Church
STOCKTON (CBS13) - A retired California Highway Patrol officer was at the right place at the time, helping catch a Stockton tagger in the act.
Members of Victory Outreach Church say they're used to graffiti in the area. The church even put up a fence to try and keep people out, but that didn't stop one tagger from getting back here.
Church member Shannon Avila says vulgarities like the f-word, the n-word, and even a swastika have been spray painted on the building.
Avila says the racist graffiti was quickly painted over, but this is the first time the church actually knows who was behind it.
"They usually don't get caught. We usually have no idea," said Avila.
They still wouldn't if it wasn't for retired CHP Officer Jim Dolen.
"He kept graffiting (sic) several feet, and was very blatant about it," Dolen said of the tagger.
Although he has been retired for eight years, Dolen's law enforcement background is still engrained in him. So, he followed the tagger.
"Training is something that becomes innate in you. You don't just forget," he said.
Dolen pursued the suspect in his car. When the suspect went through a hole in a fence, Dolen got out of his car and chased after him.
"i tackled the guy and got him down until the sheriff's office came a few minutes later," said Dolen.
He seemed nonchalant for doing something the average citizen wouldn't. Dolen doesn't think others should take action, but it's not stopping him from doing what he thinks is right.
"It's not about an attaboy. It's my civic duty; that's how I feel," he said.
The sheriff's department says the suspect had drugs on him and had an outstanding warrant.
