http://www.tigardtimes.com/article/7710

Shhh! County could take away that boom box
AmyJo Brown  -
06/24/05

Officials are considering beefing up the noise ordinance to allow the
confiscation of loud stereo equipment

HILLSBORO - Hold on to your woofers. Washington County officials are
considering allowing sheriff's deputies to confiscate your stereo equipment
if you're making too much noise.

Rich Hildreth, commander of the county sheriff's patrol division, proposed
the idea last week to the board of commissioners. Commissioners have about
three weeks to review the proposal and hear the public's comments before
making a decision.

The current law regulating loud and unnecessary noise already restricts car
and motorcycle horns, exhaust brakes, construction equipment and yelling,
shouting, hooting, whistling and singing on the public streets between 10
p.m. and 7 a.m.

Radios and loud music are also prohibited during those hours, if they can be
heard on the street or by neighbors.

Fines can go as high as $500 on a first offense and up to $1,000 for a
second offense within a two-year period.

If the proposed rule changes are approved, deputies will be permitted to
seize, for up to a week, any stereo or other device used to create or
amplify noise. There would be no storage fee and property not recovered in
45 days would be sold at public auction.
Sheriff's officials insist they're not being mean.

"This is just a tool to get people to do the right thing," Hildreth said. "I
expect that this portion of the ordinance will be infrequently employed."

Hildreth said he proposed the changes as a way to increase the efficiency of
officers who may have to return to the same party several times throughout a
night because of noise complaints.

"Quite frankly, I looked at (the existing ordinance) and said 'what's the
incentive?' " Hildreth said. "If the penalty is $75, that might just be the
cost of doing business.

"If we come in and say we're going to take all of the equipment, people may
have a vested interest" in keeping the noise level low, he said.

Hildreth said that between June 2004 and June 2005, the sheriff's office
received 2,200 noise complaints. About 300 were repeat calls.

Elmer Dickens, a senior assistant county counsel who helped draft the
proposed changes, said there are only a handful of noise citations filed a
year.

"It's pretty rare to have a deputy do a citation," he said. "Typically, they
try to give a warning."

He said the law was aimed at "dealing with community livability issues
without being too heavy-handed."