Everybody likes to have a little fun and blow off some steam once in a while with friends and family. Sometimes, unfortunately, having fun can cross the line into aggressiveness and may, in turn, disrupt neighbors and locals to the point where they begin to suffer as a result. Some who find themselves in this situation may wonder who to call for a noise complaint.
For a noise complaint, call your local police department directly by googling their phone number. Do not call 911 for a noise complaint. 911 is an emergency-only hotline. Seek peaceful resolution where possible before involving the authorities.
In this article, we will discuss who to call for a noise complaint and who not to call. We will also be discussing what warrants a noise complaint call, when to call, when not to, and how to know the difference. By the time you have finished reading, you will know exactly what to do in the unfortunate event that you find yourself in this situation.
How Much Noise Warrants a Call
The first thing to keep in mind when you find yourself faced with a situation wherein your neighbors or someone close by is making too much noise is staying calm and assessing the situation rationally.
Never let your anger get the better of you. Getting angry and lashing out toward neighbors or locals will more often than not further escalate the problem, especially when partying and/or alcohol is involved, as is often the case in these situations.
Becoming rude and aggressive towards people tends to make them defensive and may thereby shut down any chance for a peaceful, civil resolution.
Furthermore, being too fast to pick up the phone and call the police on your neighbors for having fun could lead to ostracism. More often than not, neighbors talk, and you may develop a negative reputation in your community if they discover that you have been overly fast to call the authorities on them.
However, there is a limit, and if that limit is crossed, you have every right to involve authorities and should not have any reservations in doing so. If noisy neighbors are making it impossible for you during the day or night, it may be time to consider involving the proper mediators.
We are merely trying to illustrate here that calling authorities should not be done in haste and where more peaceful solutions are possible.
What to Do With Excessive Noise
So, with all of this being said, what is the first thing you should do if faced with excessive noise?
If you feel comfortable enough to do so, you may try to approach and talk to the noisemakers in person or over the phone. Approach the situation with compassion, calmness, and the understanding that everyone is just trying to have fun and a compromise is entirely possible.
If the noisy person(s) becomes aggravated or hostile in any way during your attempt to seek resolution, remove yourself from the situation immediately and without any rebuttal.
Neighbor conflicts all too often lead to assaults, damaged property, and verbal abuse. This must always be avoided at all costs. Putting your ego aside and taking the moral high road is still the best decision under these circumstances.
When living around others, we have to choose our battles wisely. We do not always get to choose our neighbors, and sometimes maintaining civility can require us to put ourselves out from time to time and within reason. Sometimes the answer may be as simple as moving to a different part of the house or putting in a pair of earplugs.
If you are looking for a quality pair of earplugs that will block out all sounds and allow you to continue working or sleeping, consider picking up the 3M Disposable Earplugs or one of these 12 alternatives.
One of the first things to do is look up your local laws and regulations regarding sound violations. Noise laws will vary based on time, day of the week, and the region where you live (urban, suburban, rural). Before taking any action, you must first discern if any violation has actually taken place.
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Who to Call for a Noise Complaint and Who Not to Call
Now, you have calmly assessed the situation and determined that the noise is unreasonably excessive, and either you are not comfortable making a polite request for them to lower the volume or your attempts to do so failed, and you are now considering the possibility that involving the authorities is the only remaining option available to you.
The next problem most in this situation are faced with is that they feel like calling the 911 emergency hotline may get them into trouble. They do not want to be scolded or disciplined for contacting police over a non-emergency, so instead, they suffer in silence. This is not necessary, and you do have other avenues.
Do not call 911 unless you are in danger.
911 is an emergency response hotline intended for those in extreme situations that require immediate emergency assistance. Calling 911 for a non-emergency, such as a noise complaint, may tie up operators who could be helping those in dire need. Do not do this.
Police agencies will always have a non-emergency number where they may be reached. This is always the option you should choose when reporting a noise complaint.
Simply open your phone or computer, go to Google, and search “local police phone number.” You will likely be able to find the number in under a minute by searching in this way.
Your local police department’s official website will also have the number in their contact us section.
Calling the police at their non-emergency number will alert them of the problem without any chance of you being scolded for tying up operators whose job is to handle immediate emergencies.
Another route you can take is if you live in an apartment or housing complex with an onsite landlord or property manager, you may attempt to reach out to them first as they have an obligation to their renters and tenants to enforce the rules on the premises.
Conclusion
If you find yourself in a situation where locals or neighbors are creating so much noise that you cannot have any peace, the first thing to remember is to stay calm and not seek revenge.
If you feel comfortable doing so, try to kindly reason with the noisemakers in person or over the phone. Avoid conflict and arguments at all costs.
If you have determined that a peaceful resolution cannot be reached in this manner, do not call 911.
Instead, call your local non-emergency police hotline to file your complaint directly.
