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DeKalb County Georgia. Source: Google Maps.

An internal review of DeKalb County Code Enforcement revealed several problems within the department.

According to the audit, published in August, Code Enforcement struggled with adequately documenting complaints, tracking complaints to the same address, inadequate follow up and more.

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Auditors said they reviewed eight complaints received via phone. Five of those eight didn’t document the specifics of the complaint and did not fully describe the specifics of the complaint. A washing machine and construction material in the yard would be recorded as “debris in yard,” for instance.

The auditors also found a lack of documentation about complaints during inspections. They reviewed 19 complaints, the audit says, two of which had no inspection photographs. Six of them had photographs were taken on dates different from when the inspection occurred.

“Photographs provide documentary evidence of a violation, or a lack of violation, at the time of the inspection,” the auditors wrote. “Failure to take photographs increases the risk of ineffective and untimely enforcement of County Code as well as being a violation of [Standard Operating Proceedure].

CEO Michael Thurmond told WSB-TV that the county already is taking steps to address concerns raised in the audit.

Here is a copy of the audit:

2017 Compliance Review-Beautification Unit-Code Enforcement

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