Anyone know how to get city officers/cops to leave you alone?

[J-Dogg]

I’ll try to keep this brief,

I have a officer giving me a hard time about having some construction waste and materials in my yard. I bought a house for real cheap and have to remodel the entire thing.

I’ve had the house for 4 months now and have put on a new roof (trusses, OSB and shingles) which included raising the roof 6 feet, I replaced the 2nd story floor and have the upstairs electrical and insulation done. I’ve invested $13,100 into materials in a matter of 4 months.

When I purchased the house it came free with a yard full of junk. 2 weeks after I bought it a officer came by and mentioned I’d have to clean up the back yard. I explained I just bought the house, planned on cleaning it up. I went further to explain I appreciate his concern and willingness to get on people to clean up there yards. The better the neighbor hood looks the more I can sell the house for when it is done. I tried to push the idea that we were on the same side.

So a month, 6 dumpsters and 3 flat beds later, he comes buy again. I had just finished cleaning all the garbage out of the yard that was left behind. I had tore out the 2nd floor and had all the plaster in the dumpsters and the wood stacked ready to load on a flat bed to be hauled away. He wrote me a citation and said I had 40 days to get the yard taken care of. I was upset, but I was very polite and explained to him none of the wood in the yard has been there for even 10 days. It was only there until I was done gutting the house and would be hauled away. I got the citation anyway, and simply said “no problem, it is something I’m taking care of anyway”.

He comes by yesterday, I had the dumpster emptied the same morning and was just returning with some lumber for a knee wall upstairs. It was about noon and he approached me, I smiled and said “yard look better?” He replied “not really, what are all these shingles?” I explained to him I just got done installing 2 sky lights last night at about 10 P.M. and had to wait for the dumpster to be emptied so I could pick them all up. I took him inside showed him the sky lights and new windows I put in Sunday night. He then looked out the back and asked about some bricks. The bricks were from the chimney on the roof and it had to be taken down, and I roofed over the hole Sunday while I was working on the sky lights.

I told him I could take care of it right away, so I asked him if he could come by later in the after noon and inspect it again. I am doing all this in hopes it would work like a fix-a-ticket. Your yard is messy, you get a ticket, you clean it and it is ripped up.

He never shows back up.

I call 911 tonight after thinking about it and starting to get upset. I ask the operator to send this guy over so I don’t have to appear in court and miss a day of work. He gets to the house, I ask him if the yard is in compliance. He does not even answer and ask me “do you want to forget about the ticket? Because if it gets messy again it would be a misdemeanor offence” I looked at him like “wtf” and he says “Or we could push back the court date to give you more time” Keep in mind at this time my yard is spotless, raked and mowed. I told him “take care of the ticket, I don’t have time to worry about court dates I would rather worry about the house”.

Wtf can I do with this guy? I have a feeling his boss would side with him, I’m only 24 and I just feel they don’t like me. I don’t know if they are jealous because I own 4 houses in there city at my age or what!

[Tock]

Get a building permit from city hall. Find out what the rules are for building sites where you live, and abide by them.
-Tock

[J-Dogg]

Sorry did not keep that very brief, lol

I guess I just assumed the city would WANT me fixing up old nasty houses

[RoNNy THe BuLL]

Hm..I can see where the Cop is coming from and you're right, his Sergeant will probably be on his side.

Just keep your lawn in order and you'll be okay. They don't know how long it's been messy or how long it's been clean, but from what I read, everytime he had come to inspect (except the last) it's been messy.

IF you honestly feel you're getting harassed, you can ask for his badge number, call HQ and asked for Human Resources and file a complaint.

Complaints against officers DO get investigated.

[J-Dogg]

Have the permit on the front window,

There are no rules for build sites, only ordinaces from city documents of exterior (yard) and it says they have to be maintained and clean.

[J-Dogg]

There is stuff in the yard almost every time, but it is not the same "stuff"

I clean the yard on a regular basis, but in order to fix somthing you have to take somthing apart first.

[BigMike J]

unless you have been served with a city citation for your yard tell him to **** off.

[J-Dogg]

I've been told by people the local officers here take the easy people first. If you comply with them, it is cake work.

So I was not as easy with him today. Then after he left I got my spray paint and put some drawings on my building. Some pictures of hamburgers, peace signs, flowers and a black backgroud with silver stars.

I own the house directly across the street, so I can get the whole block nice and full of art work if needed.

I'm waiting for him to mention it, so I can paint the house bright yellow and really have a nice canvas for my art

[Benches505]

Get a building permit from city hall. Find out what the rules are for building sites where you live, and abide by them.
-Tock

Exactly, a building permit will take care of that silly cop.

[Bigen12]

I've been told by people the local officers here take the easy people first. If you comply with them, it is cake work.

So I was not as easy with him today. Then after he left I got my spray paint and put some drawings on my building. Some pictures of hamburgers, peace signs, flowers and a black backgroud with silver stars.

I own the house directly across the street, so I can get the whole block nice and full of art work if needed.

I'm waiting for him to mention it, so I can paint the house bright yellow and really have a nice canvas for my art

I would simply take many pictures of your yard, showing how it is clean and well maintained, and take them to court. When you show the pictures to the judge and explain the situation, in a calm and rational manor, he will more than likely dismiss the case.

Then keep your yard clean.

[Slick Arrado]

Sounds like a building permit is the way to go. Please don't use 911, again, to get an officer to come inspect your yard. 911 is for emergencies.

[Dally]

where do you live? many, many ways to deal with cops.....

[needmorestrength]

well it is YOUR house, and YOUR property!! Go to the local library and look up laws about local yard waste. Im pretty sure hes being a cock and cant do shit!

[deathdealer1783]

Bypass the sgt. and go straight to internal affairs.

[candyman md]

I see this all the time in the appraisal business. They hassle the guy who is trying to good, for whatever reason. It seems to me sometimes they would rather see a house sit boarded up and attract crime than have it fixed up. Talk to the local building inspector and get a building code book. Sometimes all you can do is shake your head and wonder..... I have seen city police hassle a builder while drugs are being sold less than 50' away! I don't get it!

[Mesomorphyl]

Sounds like a building permit is the way to go. Please don't use 911, again, to get an officer to come inspect your yard. 911 is for emergencies.

I dont know... I would have called it so there was a recording... Then I would be able to use it in court...

[BG]

Donuts

[Slick Arrado]

I dont know... I would have called it so there was a recording... Then I would be able to use it in court...

I'm sure the non-911 lines are recorded too.

[mark956101957]

That would piss me off as well. Is he even within his right to write out citations and make such demands? dickhead

[J-Dogg]

Our county does not have a county sheriff number, they actually ask you to dial 911. I remember I had tried to call them before, and they asked me to use 911 actually.

I have a building permit already. It is a unique case that I cannot talk to the building inspector because he is fighting cancer right now. The city has different guys who fill in, but none of which would have any standing or authority over a officer.

I had breakfast with my district comminsioner this morning. He said if I really feel this officer is giving me a hard time, to setup or write the police chief and he gave me the chiefs info.

I'm just going to type up a note, attach pictures, documents showing how long I've owned the house and a copy of the apraisal before and after the work is compete. I'm doubling the value of the house here and in the same move it is doubling my property taxes.

I'll keep ya's update on me vs the city!

[Slick Arrado]

Our county does not have a county sheriff number, they actually ask you to dial 911. I remember I had tried to call them before, and they asked me to use 911 actually.

In that case bro, dial away. Don't give up even though you're fighting the city government.

[J-Dogg]

Using the force bro, you have to feel the fight!

[StoneGRMI]

Stop flipping houses! Thats the best way to get him off your back. Jk I do it too. The more you own, the more your going to be watched. Ive had minor problems before but have never came across a buiding permits that don't allow you to have contruction junk in the yard. I leave boards, bricks, etc in the yards of damn nice neighborhoods.

[gymnutt]

Take pictures often, see if you have a planning office at city hall where you can get some advice, and document everything, that way if you go to court you can show a reasonable effort to maintain your property. If I had to guess, I'd say that prik probably lives on your block and his wife has his azz in a sling.

[ya_man]

why would u dial 911 to get a certian cop...that number is for emergencies only bud...i get calls everynight through 911 that are non-life threatening....maybe next time u could just call the front desk of the police station and ask for that particular officer...saves tying up a line that might actually be needed...

[Luminaire]

its easy, just stop being black

[J-Dogg]

If you call the police station, they actually tell you to call 911, i know it is wierd. It is a very small town, population is just under 9,000 people.

I'm typing up a note to give to the police chief. I have the house listed as my primary residence and plan on selling it in 2 years. I am not living in it right now, I live across the street. I don't want to give them any pictures of the house and have them end up in a file some where.

They seem to like to give me a hard time, i just don't want to give them any information I don't have too. I'm sure the chief will understand what I am trying to do and hopfully he will be as appriciative as all the people who stop by to thank me and take a look around.

I'm not even black! but is this what is is like? lol

[Thegr8One]

shoot em in the face

[bigtwin]

wow, never seen something or heard something like that. hope it turns out ok. sorry im posting even though i have no idea to fix your problem.