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Why London police may no longer be responding to noise complaints

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A joint pilot project between city hall and the London Police Service (LPS) will see municipal by-law officers respond to most noise complaints.

During the final quarter of 2022, an eight-member team of municipal noise and parking enforcement officers will respond to noise complaints 24/7.

Only noise complaints with a criminal or violent element will be directed to police officers.

The majority of calls (non-criminal in nature) would be dispatched to lower cost municipal by-law officers who divide their time between parking and noise complaints.

A report by city staff explains, “When noise complaints peak in the evenings, parking service requests are low; when parking enforcement demands are high, such as for morning school zones, noise complaints are low.”

Between 2019 and 2022, London police responded to an average of 2,700 noise complaints per year — taking a big bite out of officers’ time to respond to calls that are more serious.

The pilot requires transferring four existing parking enforcement officers from the existing group and hiring four new noise and parking enforcement officers.

A management position will also be required.

Parking services officers have a return-on-investment (ROI) of 120 to 200 per cent based on ticket revenue.

In addition to the ROI, civic administration is proposing an increase to parking fines to limit the cost to the city’s tax base.

The Community and Protective Services Committee will receive details about the pilot project on Tuesday. 

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