Increasing Reports of Loud Music in Residential Areas

Chester Williams

Persons hosting private events throughout September are being reminded to be good neighbours. Complaints of loud music in residential areas have increased over the last couple of weeks. Police officers have had to visit many parties, especially during the weekends, to request that hosts lower the volume on their music systems.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“No one has the right to have a private party and in so doing cause annoyance to their neighbor. Yes you can have a private function but it must be such that it is not causing annoyance to your neighbor. So, when you are going to take out your big speaker in your yard and blast music and these sorts of things to the annoyance of your neighbor then certainly your right comes to an end. The police have been receiving a number of these calls. It is an environmental issue, but as you would know, the police are always the one who are left holding that funny end of the stick. So, we are the ones who are called and had to be responding. But, in order for us to be able to take legal action we would have to be able to have the use of what is called a decibel meter to test the level of noise that is being pushed by these speakers, because in commercial areas there is a certain acceptable decibels and in residential area there is a certain level as well. So, the decibel meter can give us that testing require. But, beside that we try our best to speak to the people who are causing that annoyance and for the most part they are compliant. Yes, what we are told is that when the police leave they raise it back up and to cause continued annoyance. So, it is challenging for us. So, I just want to say to people, yes you want to have your private function. Do it in such a way you are not making too much noise to the annoyance of your neighbor. Once that is the case then it doesn’t matter what hour of the day it is police can intervene.”