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Code enforcement officer fired after entering woman's bedroom
ajc.com ^ | 7-10-12 | Christopher Seward

Posted on 07/10/2012 10:44:31 AM PDT by rawhide

What would you do if you found a burly county agent in your bedroom, demanding that you cut your grass?

Erica Masters of Martinez in Columbia County,near Augusta,captured such an encounter recently on her home surveillance camera when code compliance officer Jimmy Vowell entered her bedroom to demand she come out to sign a summons.

"He let himself in and actually came through the house and into my bedroom and yelled at me to wake me up to let me know that I needed to come back outside and sign the violation notice," Masters told WJBF-TV News Channel 6 station in Augusta.

"I woke up, I didn't have my glasses on or my contacts in and all I see is this big burly figure standing in my doorway," she said. "A big huge guy with a grey shirt. It scared the mess out of me."

The video shows Vowell at the front door, then moments later walking slowly through the home and peering into rooms. Moments later Masters is seen nervously walking through the home.

Vowell, who first denied he'd entered Master's home, was fired Monday over the incident.

In a Facebook posting, Vowell said he called out to Masters several times before entering after he said he smelled something, according to the Columbia County News-Times.

"It was a violation of policy as it relates to entering a house without permission and making a false statement to a supervisor," Columbia County Administrator Scott Johnson told the News-Times. If a code compliance officer found cause to enter a home, a law enforcement officer would have to accompany him or her, officials said.

Masters, who plans to sue, said she called 911 after the incident but the operator did not alert the authorities after she found out Vowell was a compliance officer.

(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; US: Georgia
KEYWORDS: augusta; bedroom; code; columbiacounty; donutwatch; enforcement; georgia; jimmyvowell; officer
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To: rawhide
Fired?
How about a little trespass jail time?
A little Abuse of Power punishment?

His buddies need to be sent a message.

21 posted on 07/10/2012 11:15:39 AM PDT by grobdriver (Proud Member, Party of NO! Nobama, No Way, No How!)
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To: rawhide
Mr Beefy code inspector


22 posted on 07/10/2012 11:16:03 AM PDT by dennisw
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To: from occupied ga
I can’t think of a lower form of life than code enforcement agents

Sure you can.

TSA Agents
IRS Agents
ATF Agents

All of these scum have a god complex and love nothing more than to "lord" over the great unwashed.

23 posted on 07/10/2012 11:19:15 AM PDT by Drill Thrawl (Another day. Another small provocation. Another step closer.)
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To: rawhide
This Vowell guy is a former LEO and a known thief. From this story:

"Columbia County Administrator Scott Johnson...says Vowell use to work at the Richmond County Sheriff's Office.

"In 2004, he resigned from the Richmond County Sheriff's Office after he admitted that he took a computer from the property room."

The poor woman is planning on moving out. I can't say that I blame her. It's not like she could get any help. 911 basically refused to intervene. If she hadn't had those cameras, this creep would have skated away scot-free...and she would have been open to reprisals. She probabaly still is, anyway.

There's a flamewar at the Augusta Chronicle. Some folks apparently feel that his former LEO status entitled him to "check up on her". One knucklehead even presents a detail not found in ANY online story "she had mail stacked up". Either that poster is the erstwhile Mr. Vowell himself, or someone very close to the situation.

24 posted on 07/10/2012 11:24:13 AM PDT by jboot (Galt by default.)
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To: tgusa

Damn straight. If a big man wakes me up, I shoot first and sleep with Mr colt under the pillow.


25 posted on 07/10/2012 11:24:29 AM PDT by Waywardson (If you fear Obama..... vote for Romney. If you fear God... DON'T !)
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To: from occupied ga
I was not surprised to find that he's a retired cop.

He'd make a good poster boy for pension reform.

26 posted on 07/10/2012 11:24:40 AM PDT by Ken H
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To: Drill Thrawl

You forgot

DMV workers


27 posted on 07/10/2012 11:25:54 AM PDT by freedomlover (Make sure you're in love - before you move in the heavy stuff)
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To: rawhide

This lying fat slob was casing the house to see what he could steal and was surprised to find the lady at home. This is probably not the first time he did this.


28 posted on 07/10/2012 11:28:19 AM PDT by 4yearlurker (No matter who you elect,the government eventually gets in.)
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To: rawhide

I keep a loaded gun within reach in bed and I would have blown his head off. Then I would go after the cops that violated my right to protect myself. Next would be the judge if it got that far. CWII is near.


29 posted on 07/10/2012 11:28:18 AM PDT by Logical me
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To: Drill Thrawl

I stand corrected. I was thinking of local government types.


30 posted on 07/10/2012 11:29:05 AM PDT by from occupied ga (Your government is your most dangerous enemy)
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To: jboot
This Vowell guy is a former LEO and a known thief.

Kind of redundant description isn't it. He's apparently one of the 90% that give the other 10% a bad name.

31 posted on 07/10/2012 11:31:58 AM PDT by from occupied ga (Your government is your most dangerous enemy)
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To: rawhide

He walked nervously through the house, and he smelled something?


32 posted on 07/10/2012 11:31:58 AM PDT by righttackle44 (I may not be much, but I raised a United States Marine.)
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To: Ken H

Not retired...forced to resign. A real peice of work.


33 posted on 07/10/2012 11:33:23 AM PDT by jboot (Galt by default.)
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To: rawhide
"What would you do if you found a burly county agent in your bedroom...?"

I'm pretty sure Dogzilla wouldn't have let him past the front door...

34 posted on 07/10/2012 11:34:36 AM PDT by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: from occupied ga

lol...the trick is to NOT GET CAUGHT...he was so dumb he got caught by people who were likely looking the other way as hard as they could. Epic fail.


35 posted on 07/10/2012 11:36:05 AM PDT by jboot (Galt by default.)
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To: henkster

And you better have instant offsite backup, as well,

or your video capture media will “malfunction” as well.


36 posted on 07/10/2012 11:38:16 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter knows whom he's working for)
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To: RandallFlagg
But I’m guessing he was union.

If he was union he would be suspended (forever) WITH pay. On the other hand, I suppose he could have been fired and will enjoy a pension amounting to 100% of his normal pay.

37 posted on 07/10/2012 11:39:06 AM PDT by Cementjungle
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To: Red Badger

“...Why is he not dead?...............”

The lady either didn’t have a gun or couldn’t get her gun.


38 posted on 07/10/2012 11:41:21 AM PDT by NCC-1701 (In Memphis on January 20, 2009, pump price were $1.49. We all know what happened after that.)
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To: jboot

Yes, I just saw that. A real piece of work indeed.


39 posted on 07/10/2012 11:41:55 AM PDT by Ken H
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To: from occupied ga

Amen to that!


40 posted on 07/10/2012 11:41:55 AM PDT by sport
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