ELKHART -- With tall billboards proclaiming the city's noise ordinance and two unmarked police Mustangs enforcing it, some may have noticed recent efforts to douse excessive noise in the area.
In fact, the city has spent about $16,000 on billboards warning drivers not to blast the bass, purchased its second unmarked Mustang and created a full-time officer position to enforce the noise ordinance, Elkhart Lt. Ed Windbigler said.
Those monies don't just come out of general city funds, though, he said. Noise enforcement now pays for itself, after the city council drafted and approved a new ordinance in July 2008.
With noise ordinance citations costing a violator at least $250 for a first offense, loud noise is no minor infraction. A second offense within 1,000 days is at least $500; a third within 1,000 days is at least $1,000; and a violator would have to pay up to $2,500 for each violation after that within 1,000 days of the most recent offense.
Several people have been cited multiple times for violating the ordinance, Windbigler said.
Why are city officials and law enforcement cracking down on noise?
"Because it's one of the biggest complaints, we had to do something about it," Windbigler said.
Therefore, Windbigler said, loud noise is costly to the city. Prior to the 2008 ordinance, officers were pulled off of regular duties or the city had to pay officers overtime to respond to those complaints, Windbigler said.
For that reason, the noise ordinance has become more restrictive, especially during the current administration, Windbigler said.
According to the current ordinance, noise that can be heard 35 feet from the origin of the sound is too loud, Windbigler said. And don't expect to get off easy if you're caught violating it.
"Billboards. That's your warning," Windbigler said. "If you don't know it's illegal to have a loud stereo or noise, it's on you."
The increased attention to noise enforcement has also led police to other enforcement, Windbigler said.
On several occasions, an officer initiating a traffic stop for a noise violation found other offenses, including at least one major drug bust earlier this year.
In February, an officer stopped at car at Main Street and Indiana Avenue for a noise ordinance violation. Then the officer found Ecstacy and 840 grams of marijuana in the car.
"It's not only quieting down the neighborhoods," Windbigler said, "It's leading to other arrests and getting stuff off the streets."
QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE NOISE ORDINANCE
* Noise ordinance money has paid for three vehicles that the police department uses for noise and traffic enforcement, including the unmarked silver 2010 Mustang that hit the streets last month.
* The city has had a noise ordinance at least since 1994, but after receiving numerous complaints, the city council drafted and approved a new noise ordinance in July 2008.
* Since the police department created the full-time officer position dedicated to noise enforcement, citations issued to noise ordinance violators has dramatically increased. Nearly 1,100 citations have been issued so far in 2009. There were 710 citations issued in 2008 and 129 in 2007.
* Most noise complaints are about loud music, but the noise ordinance can apply to other noises, including loud mufflers.
* Money brought in through noise ordinance enforcement is used to fund signs, advertising and literature regarding noise, and equipment and labor for noise ordinance enforcement.