Board disciplinary actions, although rare, do occur I assume in most states.?ÿ I surfed California and found dozens of citations (resolved without admission of guilt), citations for 3 unlicensed individuals, and 15 or so formal disciplinary decisions for 2018 & prior.?ÿ Be aware this includes engineers and public reprovals (felony crimes which automatically revoke your license) too so the LS actions are quite low.
Here's an interesting one where an LS got caught pincushioning, in essence:
- The parcel map for the property also indicated a redwood stake set on the eastern
corner of the property. Elemen could not find this stake, and instead set another monument for
respondent. On or about September 18, 2009, respondent filed a corner record with Marin
County depicting the corner Elemen set based on the two monuments Elemen found from the
parcel map. - After respondent filed this corner record, a survey crew working under the
responsible charge of another land surveyor found the original redwood stake on the eastern
corner about one and one-half inch underground and one inch away from respondent??s
monument.
Elemen was the party chief, but the LS in responsible charge was the one who lost his license (2012).?ÿ Sweet.
?ÿ
My concern, and I think it's one that we're all going to encounter, is the unlicensed drone pilot who goes out and buys himself a DJI and starts offering surveying and/or mapping services. Our state boards need to be all over this and there needs to be teeth in the enforcement.
@peter-ehlert Based on?
@mike-marks Cool to see that someone reads the publications from the California Board.?ÿ Board in that state only has statutory authority to issue administrative citations and fines to unlicensed individuals and request prosecution from local DA's.?ÿ Former occurs quite often as can be seen in the CA Board's quarterly Bulletins published on the website.?ÿ Latter is very difficult to obtain since the local DA's are more interested in pursuing higher profile crimes.
@lee-d?ÿ totally agree when those operators are offering/performing activities which are defined as land surveying.
@nate-the-surveyor similar situation between the driver of a class A motor home and the driver of a bus, one is tested and licensed, the other not. Is the public protected better by the CDL driver? One has to be licensed because they are for hire, about only difference.
I talked to someone today who has used the services of a local unlicensed guy to find corner pins for $150/lot.?ÿ The guy is definitely not on the board's PE/LS roster.
This person told me the guy has been doing it for 22 years for real estate offices as a sideline.
Supposedly he has liability insurance (?!!), which is what really boggles the mind.
I encounter sub-standard work so frequently I could not possibly report it all. Perhaps when I retire... although it will be a full-time job.
This is exactly the type of 'practice' that demands prosecution. People are investing the bulk of thier earnings for three decades based on what he shows them.
Unlicensed practice is usually a misdemeanor. Assuming he has found someone to write a policy it is unlikely to cover criminal activity.
I attempt resolution with fellow professionals. These dirtballs are referred to the AG.
Having a license doesn't prove competence so much as losing it proves incompetence. They exist so they can be taken away.?ÿ ?ÿ
@shelby-h-griggs-pls That difference lies in the insurance provider and one is private with regular rates for driving whatever and the other is commercial with higher rates and more costly cargo and more frequently basis and usually company policies involved.
If the client is willing to be involved and file a complaint and you and several other surveyors join in together, more attention will be gained and Texas will punish them with $1,500 per item violation as a part of the current Rules and Standards of Surveying.