Sunday, September 19, 2010

311 Was Correct In Directing My Complaint to Police, But ...

I sent an email to 311 to request a noise complaint be forwarded to the department that takes care of the Neighbourhood Liveability By-Law. It was a noise complaint regarding people making noise in the middle of the night. It was a noise complaint regarding repeat offenses of people yelling, screaming, swearing, and smashing property in the middle of the night, over several nights.
In the email, I asked that the issue be forwarded to the department that takes care of the Neighbourhood Liveability By-Law. The issue was forwarded to the police.
I was under the belief that the By-Laws were enforced by the By-Law department. When I spoke with a member of the Police Community Support Unit, I asked who enforces the Neighbourhood Liveability By-Laws and was told it was the By-Law department. But what I failed to ask is if the entire Neighbourhood Liveability By-Law was enforced by the By-Law department. It seems that Section 67 is not enforced by the By-Law Department. In fact, Section 67 (which deals with human and animal noises) is taken care of by two different department, depending if it is human noise or animal noise. The human noise is taken care of by the Police, and the animal noise is taken care of by Animal Services. How confusing is that!
So, when I asked the member of the Police Community Support Unit who takes care of the issues I was referring to, I should have asked "Who takes care of Section 67 as it applies to human noise, of the Neighbourhood Liveability By-Law?". That was my mistake, and I wish to apologize for the error.
Now, I just have one more question. Does anyone fine the people who are in violation of Section 67 as it applies to human noises, of the Neighbourhood Liveability By-Law? Or do the Winnipeg Police just go to the location of the violation and ask them to be quite?
I have to be honest with you. When I first read Section 67 of the Neighbourhood Liveability By-Law I got excited. I thought finally, there was something that protected neighbourhoods from excessive noise. I thought this little By-Law could prove to be useful in taking care of Party Houses. What I know so far is that I have to call the police each time the noise happens, and call when the noise is happening. And I have to keep doing this over and over again. I am not sure to what end just yet. But that is what's required.
Do the Police fine the individuals making the noise? I don't have an answer on that yet.
How many noises can a noise maker make? I don't have an answer on that yet either.

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