Yes, you can make an anonymous noise complaint to cops when things get out of control.
Noise from the next-door neighbors or any construction around your house can sometimes become so bad that you must file a complaint against it.
Noise pollution is one of the most dangerous types of pollution that causes a lot of damage to all living things.
It would be best to tell the authorities wherever you find excessive noise to control noise pollution.
This article is about the factors you should consider when making an anonymous noise complaint to the cops.
When can you make an anonymous noise complaint to the cops?
Remember that even if you make a complaint anonymously, you can damage your relationship with your loud neighbors.
Having bad relations with your neighbors means having no one to help you in times of emergency when you need someone around you.
Having neighbors is good and sometimes helpful.
One must keep on good terms with the neighbors.
But when your neighbors are too loud and noisy, that may irritate you.
Complaining to the cops should be the last option in your mind.
Before you complain to the cops anonymously, there are some things you must try:
Talk to your noisy neighbors
In most cases, your neighbors might not know that they’re being too noisy.
Some types of people consider it okay to be loud.
They may not realize that someone in their neighborhood is getting disturbed and irritated because of them.
So the best thing is first to go and talk to them.
Make them realize that they make too much noise which disturbs you.
You should keep calm and talk in a very composed and sensible way.
Ensure you don’t talk in a way that makes the other feel bad.
Being polite with them can do wonders.
Maybe the situation never reaches the point where you must file a complaint against them.
What if they understand your situation and make themselves quieter?
There’s a high chance they will understand.
Talk to the landlord
If talking to your noisy neighbors doesn’t make them quieter, you can talk to the landlord.
Your landlord may make your noisy neighbors understand how irritating they are getting.
Landlords even have the authority to replace the tenants.
This way, either your landlord will replace the tenants and make your life peaceful, or the tenants themselves will understand how serious the situation is, so they better make themselves quieter.
Soundproofing your house
If both solutions don’t work for you, you can soundproof your house.
Soundproofing may sound very expensive, but it all depends on what strategy you opt for.
There are also some cheap and inexpensive ways to make your house soundproof.
Soundproofing help in blocking the outside noise from coming inside the house.
If you soundproof your walls, ceiling, windows, and doors, it will help in reducing the echo.
Also, it will help dampen the sharp sounds, and the noise from the outside will be unable to pass through your doors, walls, and windows.
Materials such as acoustic foam panels and Mass Loaded Vinyl helps in blocking both high and low-frequency noises.
And remember to keep in mind that you fill in all the empty spaces of walls, windows, and doors.
Empty spaces are the biggest culprit in letting the noise in and out of the house.
Why complain anonymously?
Complaining anonymously to the cops has several benefits attached to it.
Let us see some of the benefits of complaining anonymously to the cops below:
• When you don’t want to be the part of inquiry, or you don’t want the police to come to your doorstep and ask further questions, complaining anonymously is the best thing to do.
Obviously, when they don’t know your identity, they won’t be able to contact you again.
• Being on bad terms with your neighbors might be the worst thing, and you may not want that.
And for instance, if they come to know about your identity, they might take revenge in the worst possible way when you least expect it from them.
So to be safer, it’s better to complain anonymously.
How to make an anonymous noise complaint?
Now that you’ve decided that you can’t tolerate the noise anymore and you need to complain to the cops that too anonymously, there are some things you need to look for.
Go to your local government’s website and see what type of noise comes under the law’s violence.
For instance, if you’re dealing with the noise of your neighbor’s dog, who barks constantly, this will be dealt with by the animal control department.
And if you’re dealing with the noise of a train, aircraft, or traffic, they also come under different departments.
It would be best to know which department you should be approaching.
However, if you are sure about the noise and the possibility of violence involved, you should call 911.
It’s best to call anonymously and keep your identity a secret.
That would help you in many ways, like maintaining good relations with your neighbors and not letting the cops repeatedly approach you for inquiry.
The best way to make a noise complaint
As mentioned before, the easiest and the best way to launch an anonymous noise complaint is to go to your local government’s website and fill in the Noise Complaint Form.
Be sure that you try to be very specific while you fill out the form.
If the noise you’re facing is breaking the set ordinances, then you also have the option of calling a non-emergency line.
You can talk to the officer and explain everything that’s bothering you.
When you launch an anonymous noise complaint, your personal information is confidential.
Stay relaxed because your identity will not be revealed to anyone.
Unless you’re needed to testify, only your personal information will be used by the cops, but still, you don’t have to worry about that.
What if the noise is within the set guidelines?
Did you know that even if you launch a complaint against the noise you’re facing, there’s no guarantee that the noise will end immediately?
This is because maybe the noise that’s too disturbing for you or irritates you so much falls under the set limits.
Intact maybe the noise is not irritating other neighborhoods, but it’s just irritating you because you live too close to the noise source.
Or it’s a high chance that you are more sensitive to noise than the other people around, so you feel it more.
If you launch an anonymous noise complaint and the noise falls under the set limits, the cops will not take any action on your complaint.
So here you need to try other solutions.
As already discussed before, you always have the option of soundproofing your space.
Soundproofing is not very expensive; even if you have to spend some time and money, it will be worth it.
Soundproofing the ceiling
Many solutions include adding acoustic foam and Mass Loaded Vinyl to the ceiling to make it soundproof.
Soundproofing the doors
Soundproofing the doors will also help in blocking most of the noise.
If you have hollow core doors installed, replace them with a solid core so that the noise may not pass through them.
Also, install a door sweep under your door to block the gap between the door and the floor.
And then, if you find any gap between the door frame, block that gap by using weatherstripping tape.
You will notice a lot of difference in noise reduction if you soundproof your doors.
Soundproofing the windows
Soundproof the windows, too, to help block the noise.
For this purpose, you can hang thick soundproof blankets in front of your windows, absorbing most of the noise and dampening sharp sounds.
Use weatherstripping tape as you did for the doors to fill in the gap between the window and the window frame.
Soundproofing the windows will not cost you and will help block most noise.
Soundproofing the walls
If you find empty spaces in your walls, fill them with acoustic caulk.
You can also use acoustic foam or Mass Loaded Vinyl on the walls to make them soundproof.
If you want a cheaper solution, you can hang heavy blankets in front of the walls, which will help absorb the sounds, and the noise will not be able to pass through the walls.
Using household items
Rearranging your furniture will help in reducing the noise.
Place heavy furniture with the wall that brings in more noise.
Also, there is less echo when you have more soft materials like blankets, cushions, pillows, and rugs in your house.
Soft materials also help in absorbing more noise.
Conclusion
We must educate ourselves about the noise ordinances of our city before we decide to complain anonymously to the cops.
And also remember that noise is an everyday problem and we all have to deal with it.
If you think talking to the landlord and your noisy neighbor is useless, go for the anonymous complaint to the cops.
But also try the soundproofing techniques that may help you in the long run.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is it possible to make an anonymous noise complaint to the police?
Yes, you can make an anonymous noise complaint to the police in most situations.
However, depending on your location and the policies of your local police agency, the methods for filing an anonymous report may differ.
2. How do I file a complaint about noise anonymously?
You can file an anonymous noise complaint by phoning the non-emergency police line or using your local police department’s online reporting system.
Some departments may also have a smartphone app that you can use to file an anonymous noise complaint.
3. Will the cops investigate an anonymous noise complaint?
Certainly, if the police believe that an anonymous noise complaint is a violation of local noise rules or is disturbing the peace, they will take action.
However, the police may be limited in their abilities to investigate anonymous complaints and may be unable to contact you about the outcome.
4. What are the possible outcomes of submitting an anonymous noise complaint?
The potential effects of an anonymous noise complaint can vary based on the intensity of the disruption and your local police department’s policy.
The police may issue a warning or ticket to the person involved, or they may take more serious actions such as seizing equipment or arresting the offender.
5. Is there any alternative way to report noise complaints anonymously?
Yes, you may be able to report noise issues anonymously by contacting your local environmental health agency or a community noise complaint hotline.
These alternatives may have different procedures and outcomes than immediately reporting to the police.