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Cumberland County officers say education, not punishment, guides code enforcement work
Summary
Three Cumberland County code enforcement officers described common violations, an education-first approach to compliance and a yearlong junkyard abatement the county ultimately carried out after receiving authority from the Cumberland County Commissioners.
Lee Campbell, a code enforcement officer with Cumberland County’s Planning Inspections Department, said the county’s enforcement work focuses on helping residents come into compliance, not on punishment.
"With compassion, respect, and understanding to help explain the ordinance, what the violation is, and then give them a way to resolve the issue," Campbell said, describing the department’s approach to resolving housing and property complaints.
Amanda Lucas, also a code enforcement officer with Cumberland County, said a common public misconception is that officers "just go out and write violations." "Really we go out and investigate and talk to the community and try to educate them on the county ordinances," Lucas said.
Campbell outlined the types of problems the office handles in her area: "mostly nuisance vehicles, zoning violations, which would be people putting accessory structures on the property without permits. So we have permitting issues and minimal housing issues," including cases where heat or electrical outlets were not working. She said officers contact occupants and property owners to arrange repairs to bring properties into compliance with building codes.
Amber Moser, a code enforcement officer with Cumberland County, said officers try to respond to complaints with empathy. "When you respond to a complaint, you don't necessarily know what that individual is going through. So that you try to listen, assist, explain, and just educate and work with them the most that you can," she said.
Campbell recounted a long-running case involving a property the department considered a junkyard. She said it took about a year and that "we finally got the authority from the Cumberland County Commissioners to abate the property," after which the site was cleaned up. "It was kind of satisfying ... once you can get it actually cleaned up," she added.
Lucas emphasized internal teamwork, saying officers back one another up when workloads become heavy. "We truly are a team ... We all back each other up," she said.
No formal motions, votes or policy changes were described in the discussion; the remarks were framed as an explanation of day-to-day duties, priorities and a recent abatement outcome.
