gwinnett county has a "quality of life" unit

[Donna Atlanta GA]

What a crock of crap. They use the police department to issues citations for neighborhood code violations.

I live in a neighborhood in south Gwinnett that does not have a homeowner's association or neighborhood covenants. Last Saturday a policeman came to my door and issued me a violation notice for the car in MY driveway.

It is an off-road Jeep that we use OFF-ROAD. It is by no means unsightly. It is not even muddy at the moment. We trailer it where we are going to use it, it is never driven on the road. It is insured, but does not have a current tag because it is not driven on the roadway.

The violation I received was for an expired tag and I was told I either HAVE to get a tag or put the car in the garage. Excuse me? I HAVE to buy a tag? On a car I don't drive on the road? What kind of strong-armed tactic is this?

When I called the Quality of Life Unit department to discuss this, I was told they have police officers who do nothing but ride around and look for violations!!! For crying out loud, there is CRIME in Gwinnett County. People are being robbed, raped and murdered, and the police force is being utilized to harass citizens who are harming no one.

The man across the street from me was also issued a violation the same day for a car he has in HIS driveway. It's a car that is perfectly operable but will not pass emissions inspection, but he's working on it and plans to get straightened out. Without an inspection he can't get a tag, so... Again, it's not an unsightly automobile by any means.

This kind of harassment is ridiculous, time-consuming and worthless. I've passed by plenty of houses in Gwinnett County that should be either cited for obvious violations or condemned - rental properties that are dumps. Focus on the THOSE.

Quality of Life, my foot. Gwinnett County is becoming a Gestapo regime, and the police department is out of control. It's obvious there isn't enough REAL crime to keep all of the police busy doing a REAL job, so maybe it's time to lay a few of them off and save the taxpayers some money.

[Fed up]

I have to disagree with you. We live in a neighborhood where residents have taken to setting up tents in their driveway to paint their cars. While it is unfortunate that people will no longer use good taste to govern their actions, I am thankful that there is actually a team of people out there helping us to maintain our neighborhoods.

[Tina]

My husband has a vehicle in the back yard that he is rebuilding. It is not visible from the street and both neighbors have no problem with it. A police officer walked onto our property without a search warrant and issued us a citation. Isn't this considered unlawful search? Also, the drug problems in our neighborhood is out of control yet the police would rather spend their time making money for the county the easy way.

[Totally ludicrous]

I do not live in Gwinnett County but I have a friend that does. The ridiculouse citations they and their neighbors have been issued is unbelievable. I understand that there needs to be some control over how people keep up their homes and that is what a HOMEOWNERS ASSOCIATION is for. Ever heard of that? Instead of punishing the whole county for what a handfull of people do, leave it up to the Association to manage it. And if they don't have one then create one for each individual neighborhood. But then that would elimate the extra cash flow for the county.

[citizen]

Well, I find it interesting that Gwinnett county would rather send out police officers in the light of day instead of the dark of night. I guess it is a lot easier and safer for them to hand out citations to mostly law abiding citizens. Will it really thwart criminals by making someone repair a broken window, remove a car that is in the process of being repaired, put your ladders in your house? Who are you kidding? Why instead don't you get out of the doughnut store and arrest people that shoot guns in the middle of the night, supposedly celebrating new year, 4th of july, christmas eve, or whatever. When a taxpayer calls 911 because some people (multiple) are shooting guns repeatedly off for periods of minutes and hours and no one gets arrested that speaks volumes of what the police really care about.

[Brenda]

I love the officers that work with the QOL they are great we need more of them. They have worked wonders in my hood. THANK YOU QOL FOR A GREAT JOB FORGET THE WHINERS.

[ron]

first of all brenda blow it out your ass, im sure you have never had one thing in your yard or drive way that was an eye sore except maybe when you go to the mailbox. anyway, i had a officer give me one also ,i have a boat for sale in my yard off to the side which my neighbor has no problem so people can see it but it has an expired tag and according to the citation not on a hard surface,what the f****,also i have been laid off since feb. so i have been collecting stuff for the recycle place aluminum cans crushed and bagged and some scrap metal which are on a trailer by my mowers and sons bike which are covered with a tarp all nice and neat but i guess now ive got to get rid of because of some ass hole probabaly walking around the neighborhood.

[Maisie]

I think they should lay these officers off and SAVE money for the county instead of having police officers who do nothing but ride around and look for violations to try to MAKE money.

[huh]

The violation my neighbor received was for an expired tag. He was told he has to get a tag or put the car in the garage. He has two cars in the garage. There’s no room for a third one. What baffles me is,w e have a HOA and expired tag is not a violation for HOA; why would it be for Gwinnett County Police department? The car runs, wheels are good, nice paint job and no broken windows. HOA are tough enough. Now we are forced to have another entity that drives around to cause havoc. Gwinnett County Police department should be out catching criminals and making sure they do not escape. Do not tag cars that are in good condition in a personal drive way; due to missing tag. Do not sit on side the road with speed cameras. Those of us speeding are trying to catch criminals. STOP wasting our tax dollars and time 

[Mary in Duluth- GA]

I love the quality of life unit! We had a problem with a neighbor who brought in junk day and night and would leave it in their driveway. QOL stopped that and also they are cleaning up the neighborhood of all the junk cars, trash etc.. These police officers are for QOL unit and do not do the crime, driving tickets etc. so I would recommend someone to better educate themselfs before they open their mouths. Great Job Quality of Life Offiers!

[Mike]

The quality of life unit is so neighborhoods dont turn into gang infested waste lands like so many have in Gwinnett. They are enforcing state laws and county ordinances not neighborhood rules.
Go drive around the slums of Atlanta and you will see that the QOL unit is trying to prevent. Run down vacant houses, junk cars, trash in the front yard, loud music, broken windows, etc. This method is exactly how NYPD changed NYC from a high crime area to one of the safest cities in the US.

[Tammy]

The bottom line is this....we have a county ordinance office in Gwinnett. People can report violations to them.

Having the police come onto your property and walk in your back yard without your permission or a warrant...is a crime in itself.

I lived in a neighborhood that was going downhill RAPIDLY. I was given a warning for a little strip of wood that about an inch at the end of it was raised slightly from my garage. You had to be RIGHT up on it to see it. I was told to glue it or nail it back down or I would be fined.

You have to place a priority on the value of two things. Your constitutional rights or neighborhood violations which can be reported through avenues other than having the police inspect your property without your consent. Next they will be entering your home to inspect it....that will get the attention of those who support the QOL unit....dontcha think?

I will take my constitutional rights anyday. Espeically when they are becoming fewer and fewer as we speak.

Soon we will be saying Welcome to the U.S.S.A.

[William in Lawrenceville]

add me to the list who's fed up with the Yard Nazi unit. I was just issued some sort of citation by one of these "police".She said there had been a complaint filed but wouldn't tell me by who. She said I could find out once the "case" had been closed. The citation noted very nit-picky problems. We are in the middle of some serious yard work that had been delayed by the recent rains. She also informed me that the complaint alleged that my swimming pool was in disrepair. When I showed her my pristine pool, her only comment was that I had a very pretty pool. I went on the Quality of Life website and I definetly am not the supposed "target" that the mission stated the unit was created for. Its just another example of how our county (lived here since 1986) has fallen. This is not going unresponded to.

[John]

It seems to me the only people who have problems are the person/persons who have a scummy home/yard...If you don't like the QOL in Gwinnett County...Then move out!!