Sarasota Police will start impounding cars on first offense if music is too loud
SARASOTA, FL – Sarasota police are starting a new crackdown. They’re trying to get people who pump up the volume to turn it down. And the penalty will be tough.
Starting Monday, Sarasota Police will start enforcing an ordinance where they can impound your car on the first offense if your music is too loud. Police say they’re just trying to make the community better. But we found some loud critics.
“A lot people that are into music are concerned about it.” Michael Dramis is into loud music for a living. He installs high-priced music systems at a store he manages in North Sarasota. The buzz with his customers: Sarasota’s latest ordinance. “The word is out. People are aware of it. So it’s probably helped already even though it’s not enforced. But do I think it’s a good law? No.”
Dramis thinks the ordinance is too tough. Instead of having your car towed if your music is too loud, he thinks people should just get tickets. And he thinks police officers will have too much discretion in enforcing the law.
And we found others who agree.
“No, they shouldn’t be allowed to be towed. They should have to come over and say, okay turn your music down. They can give you a warning and say if you don’t then we’re going to tow your car,” says local resident Lebertha Roden.
“I think it’s always better to be informed before it’s brought to that extreme. As far as towing, I don’t think it’s cost effective for the city and I don’t think it’s good,” says resident Bill Cavanaugh.
But police officers say this is what many people did want. “We wanted something that was going to have some teeth in it, that was going to send a strong message that it’s a quality of life issue, and the citizens of Sarasota and the city of Sarasota doesn’t need to be exposed to it,” says Capt. Lucius Bonner of the Sarasota Police Department.
Bonner says police officers will only tow cars if music can be heard from 100-200 feet away. The first time you’re caught, you’ll have to pay the tow bill. After that: fines up to $500.
Officers are hoping the big penalties will be enough to quiet the booming music, and this new approach to improving the community will quiet the critics, too.
This ordinance is similar to one being used in Peoria, Illinois. After the ordinance was in effect for one year there, Peoria had no repeat offenders.
Officers are hoping for the same success here.
WWSB ABC 7 | Thursday, August 28, 2008
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