Over and over again at a recent round of community meetings police heard complaints about the loud, vibrating bass rumbling from the modified speakers of some cars on Cayman’s roads.
‘It’s been a consistent message from West Bay to North Side: people are getting really annoyed,’ Acting Deputy Police Commissioner John Jones said in a recent interview. ‘Why do you need to share your music with everyone else in the neighbourhood?’
It may be a little-known fact on the island, but a 12-year-old law does give Royal Cayman Islands Police officers the ability to ticket and even arrest persistent noise-makers.
The RCIPS is going to start making use of those regulations.
The Towns and Communities Law (1995 Revision) gives police broad powers to take action when residents make noise and nuisance complaints.
Under the law, anyone who makes noise likely to cause annoyance or discomfort to those around them can be fined up to $500 for a first offence. The fine can only be given after the person has been warned once before by an officer.
Subsequent offences can garner up to $5,000 in fines and a six month prison term upon conviction. Violators can also have their stereos and speakers confiscated after they’re convicted.
Mr. Jones admits the law isn’t as easy as RCIPS officers would like it.
‘We have to take details of driver’s vehicles…and we put it on a database. Then, if we come across the driver again, we check the database, find that they’ve been previously warned and prosecute them,’ he said.
‘You don’t seem to see that in any other sort of laws, for example with seatbelts that we have to warn (drivers) first and then prosecute them at a later stage.’
Acting Deputy Commissioner Jones said public assistance in identifying noisy vehicles is important.
‘We are encouraging people to report any offending vehicles to their local police stations,’ Mr. Jones said. ‘Although we may not be in a position to respond immediately, we will record details and follow up with investigations.’
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