Who is responsible for protecting the rights of individual citizens?

As a United States citizen, you and your family have rights. It is the job of the local government to make sure those rights are protected. The local government makes sure that new and old buildings meet certain safety and zoning regulations and laws. It makes sure that unwanted businesses, trash dumps or landfills are not built in the middle of communities if the citizens of that community are against it. If you want to build or buy a new home, the city may give you building permits and titles to do so. These are ways your local government helps to protect the rights of individual citizens in your city, village, town or county.