What type of documentation needs to be descriptive and answer specific questions during field enforcement?

Field notes are essential in the field of code enforcement because they serve as a detailed account of observations made during inspections and interactions. These notes must be descriptive and answer specific questions regarding the conditions observed, the actions taken, and any relevant conversations with property owners or occupants.

The purpose of field notes is to provide a comprehensive record that can later aid in investigations, support the enforcement of codes, and serve as a reference for future actions. Being thorough in documenting observations allows code enforcement officers to accurately assess compliance with regulations and provide clear evidence if issues arise.

Other types of documentation, such as incident reports, citations, and construction documents, fulfill different roles in the enforcement process but do not prioritize the level of descriptive observation and specific question-answering as field notes do. Incident reports typically summarize events rather than provide a detailed narrative, citations document violations in a formal manner without the rich context that field notes provide, and construction documents relate to approved plans rather than the realities observed in the field.