La Conner's new Code Enforcement Officer

Sandy Stokes | Jun 01, 20160

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LUCKY DRIVER – This time La Conner’s Code Enforcement Officer, Tara Linder, put a friendly warning on a car instead of a $450 ticket. The driver could have been cited for illegally taking up one of the three handicap parking spaces at the little lot near the boardwalk gazebo on First Street Saturday. – Photo by Don Coyote

Putting miles on her shoes and smiles on local faces, Tara Linder is on patrol in La Conner.

As La Conner’s new code enforcement officer, “I’m here for health and safety,” she said, “not to hurt somebody’s day.”

Just don’t park in a fire lane or illegally take up a handicap spot, and you’ll enjoy meeting her when you see her on her rounds.

Linder says she’ll always try to get people to move their vehicles before issuing a parking ticket — at least on the first warning.

“People don’t always realize they’re breaking the codes,” she said. For that reason, she sees her job as being more about public service and education than busting scofflaws.

Unlike code enforcement officers of the past, Linder wears a uniform clearly marked Code Enforcement. Since she’s so obviously a town employee, tourists walk up to her all the time. “People stop me on the street and ask directions,” she said.

Linder’s job is defined as part-time and on call. Town Administrator John Doyle said her work schedule will never be made public. That’s because town officials don’t want people to know when they could get away with parking backward in front of the post office or on the sidewalk.

Besides enforcing parking laws and town codes, Linder is also the animal control officer. Dogs in town are required to be licensed, which is actually a boon to the owners, should their pet wander away.

The town keeps a log with the name and physical description of every licensed dog so that Linder will be able to take strays home to their owners before they get into trouble or end up at the pound.

Linder grew up in Oak Harbor and has lived in Anacortes for the last 20 years. She has a son, a daughter and a 2-year-old granddaughter.

She owns a successful graphic design business specializing in wedding invitations and bridal gifts, but it was her interest in law enforcement that prompted her to apply for the town job.

Several years ago Linder studied criminal justice in college and she had an internship with the Anacortes Police Department.