Monday Musings...
Welcome to another "fun-packed" week... Okay, so maybe it might NOT be fun-packed, but then again, it does all come down to how YOU decide to view it, hmm?
MY definition of "fun" tends to be multi-faceted these days.
The typical aspect of humor may or may NOT enter into MY fun...depends on the circumstances.
Like I say at the banner of this blog...YOUR mileage may vary.
I know mine certainly does...LOL.
With that said, let us proceed into the unknown realm of THIS week, and hope our journey manages to provide some insight, a revelation or two, perhaps an epiphany (if we're REAL lucky), and yes, maybe even a giggle here and there.
Those of you who follow this blog, know a large part of the problems the missus and I have to put up with in this "ghettohood", and how we've been trying our damnedest to find solutions that will eventually benefit any and all decent people who either wish to remain living in their houses or might even want to move here.
(Yes, I do still believe a revival CAN take place down here...given the proper impetus by ALL city agencies concerned)
I've chronicled the seemingly never-ending roll call of miscreants, be they on foot, on two wheels, or on four wheels.
I've given you a look into what a normal, law-abiding person has to endure for the sake of being one of the "good guys".
And now, I want some of YOUR feedback.
This "call" goes out to ANY and ALL LEOs who patrol the streets of America and who take a few moments of their hectic day to peruse the pages of this blog.
This is YOUR time to sound off.
It's my way of seeing how well other cities stack up against mine (Fort Wayne), specifically when it comes to NOISE VIOLATONS.
You see, in posts past, I mentioned one "Mr. Loudass" - a white trash piece of crap that feels it's HIS "duty" to drive past OUR house (damn near DAILY) and crank up HIS stereo SO damn high, it rattles everything that's NOT nailed down in our house, as well as the windows.
You CAN often hear him SEVERAL BLOCKS away, so you KNOW he's comin'.
This is the guy who gives our house the middle finger when he thumps past, and sometimes, it can be several times within a half hour.
(Like last night after 2300 hrs.).
So, he does have an "interest" in our place AND us...and I have no frigging reason why. I don't even know who the hell he is (but I sure wish to God I did).
He's the one that used to drive that light blue, early 90s Buick LeSabre that I managed to take some pictures of a while back.
(And after four well-placed BB rounds at him one night...he want away for a good while, and I "thought" that WISED HIS ASS UP. I might have been "wrong" of me to do that {civil penalties perhaps}, but it DID get MY point across, and I didn't waste ANY bullets. I was cautioned by 2 members of the FWPD not to do that, so I have refrained since) Besides, he's more a coward that anything else. He never gets out of the vehicle when I "light him up" with my spotlight (my ONLY weapon it would seem)...I'd LOVE for him to get out and approach me...(just once)
But, I digress...
Seems he NOW has a light blue and silver late 80s ASTRO/SAFARI window van, but there is NO mistaking the annoying high decibel level of this POS vehicle, or his "whitetrashness".
Now, before you go and start tapping the keys in response, let me first review what I have done so far (aside from pelting him with BBs) to get our police to remove, or at LEAST quiet down this person (or at least the stereo) whenever he fells the "need to share" his crap music.
I have managed to take a picture of the van (poor quality I know, but he rarely stops long enough to get a good shot), and it looks like he has an Indiana "In God We Trust" plate , which curiously has NO FUNCTIONING BULB on it at night. The last time I checked, THAT was a violation, as well as being too loud.
I've provided the quadrant captain with the picture, description, SPECIFIC times of day (or night) and directions of travel ( I keep REAL good logs on problems in this area). Both the missus and I have called into dispatch to complain, and when he had the last car, I even talked to an officer at the house (Officer John Chambers - really good officer).
I've suggested patrols at the designated time frames, and offered my driveway as a place to "coop" while waiting for this person.
Hell, I've even offered my house if they wanted to ever set up a camera (sound familiar, Phil?) to surveil the area.
I also know that any noise violation is given a much LOWER priority (here), than say, a signal *43*, *55*, or *62* (Disturbance -Fight - Party Armed, respectively), and that makes sense.
What does NOT make sense is WHY this guy can run around, thumping his ass off for weeks and even months at a time, and NEVER get caught?
I mean, there IS a difference (to me) between a LOW priority and NO priority at all.
*** Here's the INDIANA codes pertaining to NOISE:
(with MY emphasis where pertinent)
(( § 96.03 LOUD AND UNNECESSARY NOISE PROHIBITED.
(A) It shall be a violation of this chapter for a person to make any loud, raucous, improper, unreasonable, offensive or unusual noise, disorder or tumult, which disturbs, injures or endangers
the comfort, repose, health, peace or safety of others within the city, or to permit such noise, disorder or tumult to be made in or about his/her house or premises, and the same is hereby declared to be a public nuisance.
(B) Further, it shall be the duty of every owner, occupant, manager, agent or operator of any property, structure, vehicle, or business in the city, to prevent persons using property under their control from violating this chapter. (my emphasis)
(Ord. G-21-93, passed 6-8-93)
§ 96.04 ENUNERATION OF CERTAIN PROHIBITED ACTS.
The following acts, uses or noises, among others, subject to specific exemptions, are declared
to be loud, raucous or disturbing noises in violation of this chapter. Such enumeration shall not be deemed to be exclusive:
(A) Using, operating or permitting to be played, used or operated any machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound in such manner as to disturb the peace, quiet and comfort of the neighboring inhabitants or at any time with louder volume than is necessary for convenient hearing for the person who is in the room, vehicle or property in which such machine or device is operated and who is a voluntary listener.
(B) Using, operating or permitting the use or operation of any machine, instrument or device
capable of producing or reproducing of sound which is cast upon other properties including the public right-of-way for the purposes of commercial advertising or to attract attention to any activity, performance, sale, place or structure.
(C) Using, operating or permitting the use or operation of and machine, instrument or device
capable of producing or reproducing any sound on any public transportation vehicle.
(D) Using, operating or permitting to be played, used or operated any machine or device for
the producing or reproducing of sound on any public right-of-way adjacent to any school, institution of higher learning, church or court while the same are in use, or adjacent to any hospital which unreasonably interferes with the working of such institution, or which unduly disturbs patients in the hospital.
(Ord. G-21-93, passed 6-8-93)
§ 96.05 PROHIBITED NOISE.
No person shall play, use, operate or permit to be played, used or operated, any machine or device for the producing or reproducing of sound, if it is located in or on any of the following:
(A) Any public property, including any public right-of-way, highway, building, sidewalk, park or thoroughfare, if the sound generated is audible at a distance of 30 feet from its source;
(B) Any motor vehicle on a public right-of-way, highway, or public space if the sound generated is audible at a distance of 30 feet from the device producing the sound.
(Ord. G-21-93, passed 6-8-93)
MOTOR VEHICULAR NOISE
§ 96.15 CERTAIN ACTS CONSTITUTE PUBLIC NUISANCE.
The following acts are declared to be a public nuisance, but the enumeration of the particular
offenses hereinafter particularly defined shall not be construed as limiting the generality of this chapter, or limiting the offense hereunder to the particular offense hereinafter enumerated:
(A) The continuous or repeated sounding of any horn or signal device of a motor vehicle when not used as a danger signal. Continuous shall be defined to include unnecessary or unreasonable periods of time.
(B) The use of any motor vehicle with appurtenances attached thereto so as to create loud or unnecessary grating, grinding, rattling or other noise.
(C) The use of any motor vehicle with or without the attachment of various appurtenances thereto so as to create loud or unnecessary grating, grinding, rattling or other noise or noises. This shall include the use of any vehicle said use of which causes excessive noise as a result of a defective or modified exhaust system, or as a result of unnecessary rapid acceleration, deceleration, revving the engine, or tire squeal.
(Ord. G-21-93, passed 6-8-93)
§ 96.16 EXEMPTIONS.
Exemptions shall not be permitted within any duly established QUIET ZONE when such zone is
designated by appropriate signage. The following shall be exempted from the provisions of this
chapter:
(A) Sound emitted from sirens of authorized emergency vehicles.
(B) Lawn mowers, garden tractors, and similar home power tools when properly muffled,
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. (amended to 9 p.m. 2006)
(C) Burglar alarms or other warning devices when properly installed on publicly or privately
owned property, providing the cause for such alarm or warning device sound is investigated and
turned off within a reasonable period of time.
(D) Celebrations on Halloween and legal holidays.
(E) Permitted parades or festivals, between the hours or 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 midnight, Sunday through Thursday; and between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. Friday through Saturday.
(F) Attendant noise connected with the actual performance of athletic or sporting events and
practices related to them.
(G) The emission of sound for the purposes of alerting persons to the existence of an emergency, or for the performance of emergency work.
(H) Sounds associated with normal conduction of a legally established non-transient business when such sounds are customary, incidental and within the normal range appropriate for such use.
(I) In the case of motor vehicles, where the noise is the result of a defective or modified exhaust system, if the cause is repaired or otherwise remedied within seven calendar days.
(Ord. G-21-93, passed 6-8-93)
§ 96.99 PENALTY.
Whoever violates any provisions of this chapter, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less
than $150 nor more than $500 for each offense.
Each day any violation shall continue shall constitute a separate offense.
(Ord. G-21-93, passed 6-8-93) ))
Now, I did this for those not familiar with OUR codes and laws, but I'm sure those LEOs out there will have something similar on their books.
What I'd like to find out is WHY noise violations are pursued under the auspices of COMMUNITY-ORIENTED POLICING, when we have here in Fort Wayne is:
1) No officers who live and patrol in the same "community" who can see things a lot better..(like I do).
2) No real "community" for officers to liaison with, aside from a few INDIVIDUALS (again, like myself).
You CANNOT effectively HAVE community-oriented policing under such conditions.
To me, it would strongly appear that you REALLY need more PROBLEM-ORIENTED POLICING, to more effectively address the issue of these boomcars.
Let me know what YOUR city or town is doing and how effective it is in fighting and hopefully eradicating this acoustic terrorism.
Let me know what I've NOT done, and if what I've done is "by the numbers".
Tell me what works for YOUR city, and what does not.
Show me if having concerned citizens who provide good, solid "intel", like myself is really a godsend for those patrolling problem neighborhoods.
Let me know how best to deal with this, without appearing as if I'm crying "wolf" every time I call into dispatch for this particular a$$hole.
The department is missing some SERIOUS MONEY nif they were to cite the almost 300 boomcars PER MONTH that pass my house @ $150 a pop...don'cha think?
Personally, I feel it's time we took this technological marvel known as the Internet, and put it to some GOOD use, and that means "buddy up" with officers (who I do consider friends) to find a more effective solution to the problems every officer and every citizen faces daily.
We become PROACTIVE, so that the small crap never has a chance to become the BIG crap in our cities and towns.
THAT, to me, is good policing...always has been.
Always will be.
Having a merely REACTIVE department is like always calling the locksmith after the gate's been broken and the horses are wandering about.
So feel free to comment on what YOUR department (or you) has found that WORKS, and what does not.
If you want to remain anonymous, go right ahead...nothing will be said or assumed, and what is SAID here...will REMAIN here (unless someone else decides to say it elsewhere).
And to any of my fellow "civvie" readers...your thoughts are ALWAYS welcome...you know that.
Let me know how YOU deal with this noise.
Thanks for all your support, your readership, and your encouraging words.
We do what we do, not because it's EASY...but because it's the RIGHT THING to do!
Be well, make a difference today, and as always...
Stay safe out there, America.

(( ** Editor's Note - 1100 hrs. - This blog has JUST hit FIFTY THOUSAND PAGE VIEWS...!
50K...Astounding!
Thank you ALL for taking time to visit here. ))