Which Florida Statute mandates that a code enforcement officer must have personal knowledge of a violation?

The correct choice is based on Florida Statute 162, which specifically addresses code enforcement procedures. This statute outlines the roles and responsibilities of code enforcement officers, including the requirement that they must have personal knowledge of a violation before initiating enforcement actions. This means that a code enforcement officer must personally observe or have direct evidence of a violation to ensure that enforcement actions are justified and based on accurate information.

This requirement serves several important purposes. It helps protect property owners from wrongful enforcement actions based on hearsay or unverified reports, thereby ensuring that legal actions are founded on first-hand knowledge. Additionally, the principle of personal knowledge aligns with the concept of fair notice and opportunity to correct violations before penalties or legal actions are imposed.

In contrast, the other Florida Statutes mentioned focus on different aspects of local government regulation and enforcement, and do not specifically mandate the need for an officer’s personal knowledge of a violation in the same way that Florida Statute 162 does. This is what makes statute 162 the correct and relevant legal reference in this case.