More Field Time for Code Enforcement in the City of Pomona

Pomona, California code enforcement officers are using wireless technology to help them work more efficiently as they travel throughout the City. This means they have more field time and less office time.

With 160,000 residents, the Code Enforcement Division has nine field inspectors, three clerks, two senior inspectors and one supervisor. The division maintains all code enforcement activity, including customer and City Council requests. Staff handles about 7,000 cases per year. Without their new software, they would not have sufficient resources to meet the reporting requirements of such a large caseload.

The software was purchased with $42,000 in HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. In addition, twelve mobile computers and twelve mobile printers were purchased with $71,450 in non-CDBG funds. The computers and printers are mounted in the vehicles of Code Enforcement Officers (as shown in the picture). This allows staff online access to information in the field. The computers were purchased in November 2004 and the software in March of 2005.

The software program allows the City to better respond to citizen concerns. At the same time, it provides an accurate accounting of CDBG eligible activities. Inspectors also have access to critical information while in the field. This includes permits, licenses and property ownership information. Prior code enforcement cases, including case photographs, are also available. Inspectors can search City, State and Federal codes in the field. These code sections can then be printed out and given to the violator.

"Our staff can now read and produce detailed documents, such as case details, from their laptops," says John Kimbro, Code Enforcement Manager. "As they follow along with the case, we can add notes. Time expended on the case is recorded electronically. We are saving more money on paper and copy production than we put into setting up this program. "

After a few weeks, inspectors could provide accurate an accounting of time spent in CDBG-eligible areas. They could track cases from start to finish and issue correction notices printed in the field. Cases could be saved to files, follow-up inspections scheduled and inquiries responded to in a timely manner.

The software eliminates the need to maintain handwritten daily time sheets. Because the software is Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping integrated, efficiency has increased and errors reduced. GIS identifies residential properties within CDBG eligible census tracts. The system then integrates a time tracking feature that provides detailed reports of code enforcement activities by census tract.

Today, staff is doing less office work and more fieldwork to serve the community. At the same time, it is providing increased CDBG reporting accountability. For additional questions, please contact Mr. Kimbro at (909) 620-2374.