Friday, February 10, 2012

STORYLINE Ask Officer Michelle

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Posted by concerned10

Hi,
Can anything be done about noisy, rude neighbors? I live in an apartment complex, and my neighbors are EXTREMELY rude. They have loud parties in the middle of the week. Last night/this morning (wed/thurs) they were blasting their music super loud and screaming. It was about 2am, and they were actually screaming. It was just so ridiculous. But it didn’t stop there. About an hour later (around 3am) they starting having sex. And it sounded like more than two people, by the way. And they were having sex VERY loudly. Like they were trying to do it loud enough for everyone to hear. There are young children who live in this complex!! It was just so blatantly rude and disrespectful. Can anything be done about this? I’m not some party pooper or anything. Partying is fine as long as it’s not disturbing the neighbors. I’m afraid to walk over there and ask them to stop. They seem like the type would try to retaliate or something. Can I call the police? Will they do anything about it? If the police did get involved, would I be able to remain anonymous? I’m really stressed. What can be done about this?

Dear concerned 10,

It sounds like you know a little more about your neighbors than you want to know. Fortunately for you, you have some leverage. Yes, you certainly can call the police for a noise complaint. You would tell the dispatcher the same concerns that you told me, ie., the children in the building, the ongoing problem and the fact that it is 3:00 in the morning. You can stay anonymous. If you sign a citizen’s arrest, they would be cited on the spot. Otherwise, officers give a warning. If the police have to return subsequent to the original call for the same reason, they will be cited.

The best course of action would be for you to call your landlord. Explain to them what is going on. If the police are called, there is a little more sense of urgency as well as a record of the occurrence. Speak to a few of your other neighbors, especially the ones with children, to see if they are as concerned. There is power in numbers. If you unite and each of you contact your landlord, he or she would be negligent in they didn’t do anything. I’m certainly sorry that you have to endure such drama.

Officer Michelle

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Conversation Express your views, debate, and be heard with those in your area closest to the issue.

SunnySideUp

October 25, 2009 | 10:41 AM

where is this apartment complex?........uuuhhhhhhh, just out of curiousity.

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Pinelli

October 25, 2009 | 3:19 PM

This is exactly why we need more concealed weapons--it sure does deter those pesky crank fiends.

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savemidtown

edited on October 25, 2009 | 6:31 PM

when you call non-emergency dispatch it is also very important you ask for the "Call Number". Because our city police force is understaffed and totally overworked, they often cannot get to non-emergency calls. I was told by dispatch, if PD aren't there in 30 minutes they close the call and you need to call again - hence the reason for the original call number. I would also suggest asking for the contact information for either the Problem Oriented Policing officers assigned to your area or the Community Service Officer for your area - if we have any of these people left - I'm not sure we do. We used to have several POP officers for different areas of the city but budget cuts affected them too. It's sad really - we need more police period. It's not their fault they can't get out there - there are just too many incidents and not enough police officers to respond to everything goin on in this city.

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advocate

edited on October 25, 2009 | 9:30 PM

Concerned 10: Officer Michelle forgot to tell you that you have a constitutional right to quiet enjoyment of your property. The city's noise ordinance is based on that right, and for years has done a very poor job of enforcing it in cases you describe. POP officers are a pre-Kerridge PD resource and are now a part of the past. We used to be able to call them on their cell phones but those were taken away to "save" money, so any contact now is to be through email--a nearly useless process at a time when you need them most.

In addition to savemidtown's good advice as to record accountabiity and repeated calling, ask your roommate or another apartment neighbor you know to call also. If you told PD that the noise makers were having sex, that would probably up the priority real fast! When I lived in SF, one day when I was not home, a nude young lady lowered herself from the balcony above me to mine. Neighbors called a short-staffed (at that time) PD, and they said several PD officers were there faster than they had ever seen to rescue the poor young thing.

It sounds as if the offenders were in your own complex, Definitely notify your landlord or his/her management company that night (leave a message on the tenant emergency number). Ask the landlord to keep your name confidential. Follow up the next working day and advise your landlord that these neighbors are violating your quiet enjoyment right. (Google that phrase and you will find scores of court cases upholding your right.) A knowledgeable landlord will take action upon hearing that magic phrase.

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Michelle Lazark

October 25, 2009 | 10:09 PM

Mr. Advocate, you are thinking of the county. We didn't cut out POP program and each area of the city still has a team...

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savemidtown

October 26, 2009 | 7:36 PM

I understand we have some POP officers left - do we have any Community Service Officers left? Very good resources that worked.

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Michelle Lazark

October 26, 2009 | 9:52 PM

Yes we do have Community Service Officers (CSO's). They aren't sworn officers however and don't do any enforcement action. They take reports on incidents like cold burglary calls, search for missing persons or take vehicle accident reports. They are invaluable to us and help us out quite a bit.

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advocate

edited on October 26, 2009 | 8:41 PM

I was not thinking of the county. You did not respond to my statement that people are not able to get ahold of them by phone when one needs them. As I wrote, when one cannot call a POP officer when needed anymore as was intended--after all, that was the reason the positions were created in the first place--that service is a thing of the past because that service no longer works. It is back to business as usual.

The fact that they're somewhere in PD in name means nothing. They are being assigned other duties in the absence of hearing from us. So POP becomes a PD name game to mislead council. I've heard that both assigned to midtown used to come to the NAG but haven't been there for months if not the last year or more. So what are their names? If the chief really wanted them to be used as was originally intended, he would make not make it so cumbersome to contact them.

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Michelle Lazark

October 26, 2009 | 9:30 PM

There is not hidden agenda or conspiracy...the POP teams are alive and well, and fully staffed. They aren't given city cell phones and only possess their own. If they give their own personal cell phones out to citizens, then that's their business, but it is not required. If you want get ahold of a POP team member or the Sergeant, you can call either 566-6401, or 277-6001 and ask for a member of the POP team for the respective area you are trying to reach. You may have to leave a message, but they will return your calls. They don't always work the same shifts. Sometimes it may be a day shift...sometimes a swing or night shift depending on the needs of the community. You can get other contact numbers for specific sections of the department by going to www.sacpd.org. There you have it...nothing up my sleeves, no cloak and dagger.

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