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Police will begin experimenting with specialized cameras to monitor traffic for noise violations, an emerging technology used in a few other cities in the United States as well as Europe.
The City Council Tuesday approved the testing of the cameras which work similar to speed and red light cameras, Master Police Officer David Kennedy told the council. The cameras can be strategically placed throughout the city to monitor traffic noise and provide video and audio evidence of an infraction, Kennedy told the council.
The cameras capture the license plate of an alleged offender and then a civil fine or warning can be mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle, he said.
The cameras can monitor for violations 24/7 and are not dependent on an officer to respond and enforce the sound code, Kennedy said.
Council Aren Rodrigeuz said the system would allow police to enforce other, more important laws. “Our officers generally speaking have higher priorities than actively hunting down automobile noise,” Rodriguez said.
Council members also approved amending a city ordinance to make it a violation to hear an engine or muffler 300 feet from the source of the sound. The council opted not to make car audio noise part of the 300-foot barrier.
