Through our record requests, we received a copy of letter from ECSO legal advisor, Darlene Dickey, to asst. county attorney Ryan Ross regarding “Law Enforcement Authority of Code Enforcement Officers.” It is dated July 2, 2007.
In the letter Dickey writes, “Some of the County Code Enforcement employees have Florida Department of Law Enforcement Police Certification and have been commissioned by the Sheriff to use police powers in a limited capacity.
The Sheriff agreed to commission these officers solely for the purpose of enforcing litter laws and code violations, and only to the extent authorized by the Board of County Commissioners and Florida Statutes.”
Apparently there was some concern over CEOs making traffic stops because Dickey goes on to write:
“The Sheriff’s understanding is such that the Code Enforcement Officers will only conduct traffic stops when a littering violation is directly observed by a Code Enforcement (sworn) Officer. As you are aware, the Code Enforcement Officers are granted limited authority by the Board, and the Sheriff does not intend to expand that authority.
If a traffic stop is done, the Sheriff expects written documentation in the form of either a warning citation or a Uniform Traffic Citation. The Code Enforcement Officer should call a uniform deputy to assist any time a separate criminal code violation is discovered during the course of a traffic stop (i.e. DWLS, drug possession, outstanding warrants, etc.)”
