As a six-year government employee, I reflect on my growth, knowledge, and experience, which inspires me to continue to be my best in the code enforcement profession. I first found about code enforcement in an employment advertisement; Not only was I curious about this role, but I was also intrigued by the idea of serving and educating the public as a career.  

I learned that the education portion is only half of the interaction with the public. I now know there is a much-needed balance of empathy, seriousness, friendliness, and privacy that comes with this role. I must continually improve to serve the public to the best of my ability.  

Congratulations to Janderee Buckband as the Code Enforcement Experts recipient of the 1st Annual Women Leaders Symposium. Janderee submitted a great submission on how she has grown in the Code Enforcement profession. Kudos!!!

I initially came into this field, always thinking about how I would want my parents to be treated if a Code Enforcement Officer visited them. My perspective changed when I became a homeowner. It became clearer that I wanted to interact with owners with the same respect that I would like someone to interact with me if someone addresses my home. I now always establish a level of care between the owner and me to show my sincerity about working with them but ultimately do my duty to gain voluntary compliance. I continuously learn about new enforcement techniques that help the public provide better service for my co-workers and the public. I was asked at the beginning of my career what customer service is? I believe it is not about the customer always being correct; it's about education and establishing good relationships to get a fair and timely resolution.