By Andrew Perry Artesia, California — Residents, businesses, and City employees are beginning to question the City's increasingly aggressive approach to code enforcement in the wake of the firings of two code officers. What happens when City Hall begins measuring success by the number of citations issued instead of the number of problems solved? Residents receive more tickets. Businesses face more penalties. And employees who question that approach may find themselves on the outside looking in. Two longtime employees have now been terminated after opposing what they describe as a two-year shift away from the City's traditional community-based approach to code enforcement and toward a more reactive philosophy that employees have summarized as, "Cite first, ask questions later." City management maintains the employees were terminated for poor performance. Yet during the appeal hearings, it became clear that both officers had received passing performance evaluations . B...

Officer Choi keeps watch in the direction where he chased two pit bulls that were  attacking an elderly man only minutes before. ARTESIA, CALIFORNIA - Local Code Enforcement Officer Sam Choi—widely regarded by residents as a dedicated public servant—is now fighting to keep his job, not for misconduct or poor performance, but for refusing to abandon a philosophy that has defined his career: treating people with fairness, respect, and common sense. For over a decade, Choi has practiced what he calls  “voluntary compliance” —working with residents and businesses to resolve code issues without immediately resorting to citations, fines, or court action. It’s an approach rooted in cooperation rather than punishment, and by all accounts, it has worked. Choi has maintained a strong record, including a consistently high case-closure rate. Cite First, Ask Questions Later That approach now stands in direct conflict with a new direction from the City's management—one that can best be des...