Zoning enforcement officers don’t have the easiest jobs. They spend much of their work day traveling around to inspect rundown homes, blighted buildings, overgrown lots and other messy situations where residents may have run afoul of local ordinances. They often encounter property owners unhappy that someone is looking for violations. And they face the prospect of personally being held liable for their decisions.

Now the ZEOs, as they are often called, can breathe a collective sigh of relief.