Athens Police to tighten up on loud noise at parties

Capt. Tom Pyle said at a news conference that the department will shift from a "reactive" approach, in which it waited for citizens to lodge complaints against noisy parties, to a more "pro-active" policy, in which officers will take it upon themselves to warn noisemakers of the city law without waiting for a complaint.

From now on, Pyle said, officers will warn or cite noisy households "on an on-view basis, instead of on a complaint basis." In the long run, he said, police hope this approach will lead to fewer violations and less need to cite offenders.

Under the current noise ordinance - which, Mayor Paul Wiehl noted, has a proposed rewrite pending in City Council there is a period of night during which police can act on noise problems based on "prima facie" evidence - basically, if they judge that noise from a property can be heard past the property line, or 50 feet from its source. This time period is after 10 p.m. on weekdays, and after midnight on weekends.

The noise ordinance is in effect 24 hours a day, but requires a complaint for police action during the day.

Pyle stressed that the change is only in enforcement policy, and has nothing to do with the controversial amended noise ordinance now making its way through City Council.

He noted that currently, the police issue far more warnings about noise than they do citations; over a five-year period, he reported, the department handled 3,729 complaints, of which he said 21 percent resulted in citations and 79 percent in warnings.

Had the police gotten that many speeding complaints on East State Street in five years, Pyle suggested, "we would do something about that I think it's well-established that noise is a primary concern among all the community members."

The officer emphasized that the aim is to get the word out to people that the law exists, and will be enforced, in hopes of improving voluntary compliance.

"At 10 (p.m. on weekdays), we're not going to simply wait for the complaints to come in," he explained.

Currently, Pyle suggested, police are typically responding to noise complaints late at night or in the wee hours of the morning, when they're already overtaxed handling other problems such as assaults.

Under the new approach, he said, officers will try to warn noisy gatherings right around the time the "prima facie" enforcement period starts. He said that officers will use the same standards as they have been applying to decide whether to cite or warn an offending household.

"I think the approach is fair," he added.

Mayor Wiehl reminded reporters a rewrite of the noise ordinance is awaiting final approval by council. That amended law, which among other changes stiffens the penalties for conviction of a noise violation, has met with criticism from some Ohio University students, who see it as targeting their off-campus house parties.

Wiehl suggested that the new enforcement policy might serve as an alternative to changing the law. "If it doesn't work, there's always the legislative side," he said, adding that he may ask City Council to wait on approving the new ordinance to see if the new enforcement approach reduces the number of noise complaints.

One student who was in uptown Athens Wednesday said he approves in principle of cracking down on noise which he said made it very difficult for him to study when he lived in town but doubts the city can ever get it under control in a college town like Athens.

"I wish them the best," said senior Josh Richardson, 22. "But what are you going to do fine people?"