How to bring a case to the Sheriff’s attention

Sheriff Prine was at last night’s budget hearing (his office accounts for more of the county budget than anything else). Afterwards I asked him how matters such as the complaints about the animal shelter could be brought to the attention of his office. He said that was a code enforcement matter, and if code enforcement thought it rose to a criminal matter, they would take it to Magistrate Court, which would issue a warrant, which would go to the Sheriff’s office, where it would be pursued.

Remember who code enforcement is in Lowndes County. According to Ashley Paulk:

You’re looking at him. Me.
So if you want code enforcement to do something about it, talk to Ashley Paulk. He actually said something about that last night; video to come.

So I asked Sheriff Prine if there was any other way such a matter could be brought to the attention of the Sheriff’s office. He said a citizen could go to the Magistrate Court and file a complaint.


Paul Leavy, VDT
If the Court issued a warrant, it would go to the Sheriff’s office, which would pursue the matter.

I repeated back to Sheriff Prine what I thought he said and told him that was what I was going to post, which I now have. If I have gotten any of this incorrect, I invite the Sheriff or anyone else to correct it by commenting on the blog on this post, or by sending email to the blog submission address.

Also, I’d like to point out that Magistrate Court handles both civil and criminal matters. And that the District Attorney has contact information on the county web pages, as does the Superior Court.

And as Sheriff Prine and former Sheriff Paulk are well aware, it is possible to sue state constitutional officers and elected bodies in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Georgia Valdosta Division. There appear to be three civil rights cases against the Lowndes County Board of Commissioners open at the moment.

-jsq

4 thoughts on “How to bring a case to the Sheriff’s attention”

  1. An Outsider Looking In

    On the Lowndes County, Ga website, it states, regarding “Code Enforcement”:
    Code Enforcement
    The Code Enforcement Division is a functional area within Lowndes County Fire Rescue, focusing on the enforcement of codes, ordinances, and zoning through education and compliance. The division works jointly with the Valdosta/Lowndes Inspection Department, Valdosta and Lowndes Zoning Departments, and the Georgia Forestry Commission.
    The Code Enforcement Division responds to the concerns from citizens that affect the quality of life within Lowndes County such as overgrown lots, inoperative vehicles, unsafe structures, illegal dumping, illegal burning, care of premises, and littering. The division is primarily complaint driven in that we respond to calls from citizens and county agencies. We do however perform limited patrol of areas to ensure proper compliance with county codes and ordinances.
    To contact Code Enforcement or to report a violation, contact Lowndes County Fire Rescue at 229-671-2730 and ask for the code enforcement division. If you receive a citation, court appearances are made at the Lowndes County Magistrate Court located in the Judicial Complex on 327 N. Ashley Street.
    http://www.lowndescounty.com/content.asp?pid=23&id=152
    ================================================
    I don’t see mention of Mr. Ashley Paulk – nor mention of the County Commission as a contact office.
    That settles that one.

  3. An Outsider Looking In

    I am assuming, yes, you are correct. An official county government website, maintained by the county Board of Commissioners, I would have to assume would, or should be, accurate.
    And if it’s not accurate,then I’d be filing a formal complaint to find out why inaccurate information is being posted on a county government public website.

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