Q: Hotel Occupancy T.C.A. 67-4-4(7). Does the police not have to enforce the law whether civil or criminal?
My husband and I checked in on 8/30/2018. We have been here continuously, since. I have receipts to prove this. With that TCA, does the police not have to enforce the law as stated, even though it is civil? This hotel also turned our power off, and I know this is illegal as well, so I flagged a police officer down & asked them about this & they said they couldn't do anything because it was not criminal. I was under the impression that the police are supposed to enforce the law as stated, whether civil or criminal, am I wrong? Also, since we have been here almost a year, & have established an address here, do we not fall under the fair housing laws, according to the TCA 67-4-4(7)?
A: You are incorrect. The Police enforce criminal law violations. It is up to the citizen or the civil authorities to enforce common law, statutes and equitable principles in the Courts of our State. You may have a cause of action to sue for damages or to enjoin what you believe are illegal actions. Lawsuits are expensive, lengthy and difficult, so you might consider other alternatives such as moving elsewhere. On occasion you might call the Health Department, but then your landlord will not be happy with you.
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