If you see people painting sections of buildings when the sun is out, don't worry - they're trying to help.

The southwest side of Jerome is inundated with gang-related graffiti - not the kind of painting that could be interpreted, while illegal, as artistic. Instead, it's just a bunch of squiggly spray-paint tags that read: "Sur 13," "Westside," and "661" - the latter being the area code of Bakersfield, Calif. - found on various structures, including homes.

Property owners or occupants can be held responsible. A recently passed city ordinance (9-44-050) requires that, upon notification from the police, you must "remove or obliterate" the markings within five days or be cited with a misdemeanor.

"Most of the gangs here are transplants from California," Officer Bryan Clayton said. "It's gang activity marking their territory â€- They're real fast and sneaky, and they like to do it under the cloak of darkness. We've charged a couple of people with vandalism. Since then, it's slowed down."

But it hasn't stopped. On Saturday, Clayton devoted most of the morning and afternoon, along with about 10 other people, painting over the paint.

The Jerome Graffiti Busters is a city-sponsored organization loosely comprising citizens, police, businesses, kids - anyone willing to spend time rendering inscrutable gang signs invisible.

Most of the people who contributed to the effort were kids - members of Snake River DeMolay, which is not a gang. Bill Watts, the chapter chairman, explained, "DeMolay was conceived during World War I â€- a lot of young men were running around without dads, because their dads were off fighting in the war."

The name dates back even further, a reference to a grand commander of the Knights Templar during the Crusades, Watts said.

"We're just a continuation of the tradition for young men without significant male figures in their lives," he said. "We encourage cleanliness of mind, speech and thought, as well as taking a shower once in a while."

Finding shelter from the rain during a break from cleaning a gang-stamped shed in an alley, 14-year-old Tim Mullowney said, "It's very helpful. We're doing something good for the community."

The Graffiti Busters are looking for more citizens and organizations to contribute. For more information: www.ci.jerome.id.us.