Since they’re letting people out of jails and prisons because of Covid-19, does it mean  they’re free to break the law? Obviously, not. But now,  police seem less likely to care about lawbreakers who defy civil code.  While out for a walk. I saw a homeowner pour gasoline on a pile of wood and light a fire in his backyard. This sent huge clouds of black smoke  billowing out  across the neighborhood. But when I called the police to report this code violation they seemed annoyed. “We’ll check on it when we have time,” the dispatcher said. Obviously, he didn’t welcome my call.

In these difficult times, I can understand that first responders are dealing with far more urgent situations.   However, my city has always been lax about  code enforcement. If you call to report a neighbor’s  violation, the police take your name and it goes on your record. Twenty five years ago, I called the police about a neighbor’s barking dog keeping my family up all night. That’s still on my record. I guess it means I’m a chronic complainer. Also, they tell the violator that “a neighbor” complained about them, which doesn’t make for a friendly situation.  That’s probably why most people hesitate to complain about barking dogs, unmowed lawns and wood smoke from burning fires, to name a few.

The police department seems to forget that Code Enforcement is an important function of local governments to accomplish community goals. Code Enforcement helps empower the citizens of their community to create and maintain safe, healthy and attractive living and working environments.

The fact is that breathing in wood smoke can  be irritating if not downright harmful. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), fine particles of wood smoke   “can get into your eyes and respiratory system, where they can cause health problems such as burning eyes, runny nose and illnesses such as bronchitis.”

These fine particles are also linked to premature deaths. The EPA advises that anyone with congestive heart failure, angina, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema or asthma should steer clear of wood smoke in general. Children’s exposure to wood smoke should also be limited, as their respiratory systems are still developing and they breathe more air (and air pollution) .

I know,  the coronavirus is a much more serious threat than wood smoke,  But on the other hand, if a police officer stops to check on someone’s illegal fire, at least they aren’t walking into an infectious indoor environment.

Just because we’re all preoccupied with Covid-19, it shouldn’t give others a free pass to violate civil codes. Or does the pandemic mean they can break the law, and get away with it?