Your mom said it; your dad shouted it. Recently, Titusville Police Department chimed in and made it official: Turn down that stereo, or else.

The department's Operation Silent Night, a monthlong effort that ended on New Year's Eve, put the squeeze on drivers with a penchant for too-loud music, be it rock 'n' roll, rap or religious.

Eight citations, about $80 per pop, crackle and boom, were given through Dec. 31. They were made possible by a new state law allowing tickets for motorists whose vehicles' stereo systems can be heard at least 25 feet away.

While that's not a lot of tickets, officials hope word will spread that ear-popping music can mean a moving violation, said Warren Van Vuren, spokesman for Titusville police.

Police have long worried that loud stereo systems are a hindrance to drivers who have them and to those around them, drowning out even persistent car horns or emergency sirens, he said.

During the first half of December, several cars were stopped and drivers given warnings, Van Vuren said.

Enforcing the new law seems a misplaced effort to some.

Glenn Moody, owner of Ridin' in Style in Cocoa, installs car stereos.

"Look at how loud some motorcycles are, and some of the tuner cars," he said. "Everybody's got their stereotypes of car stereos, and their own opinion, but basically, this is a noise ordinance."

The Titusville department has company nationwide in its effort to temper the tunes. The first FLORIDA TODAY story on Operation Silent Night can be found on lowertheboom.org, a Web site that's home of the National Alliance Against Loud Car Stereo Assault.

Lowertheboom reports that Operation Silent Night sweeps have led to more than 5,500 noise summonses, almost 5,000 felony arrests and more than 15,000 misdemeanor arrests.

The site features links to noise-related stories from communities across the country, including Chicago, Detroit, New Orleans and Youngstown, Ohio.

Contact Kennerly at 360-1016 or bkennerly@flatoday.net