Police call for decibel meters to tackle noise nuisance

As Guyana continues to recognise the need to restrain noise levels from typical offenders such as nightclubs, live music venues, and raucous neighbours, ranks of the Guyana Police Force (GPF) want officials to provide decibel meters to officers in order to assist them in noise ordinance enforcement.
While noise nuisance laws exist as a weapon to combat disruption of the peace, enforcement is usually conducted by officers’ subjective assessments of unreasonable noise levels using only their ears.
On Saturday, Inspector C Kooldeep, Officer in Charge of Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) Sub-Division called on the Police Force to collaborate with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide decibel meters to all Police stations across the country.

“…it will be able to assist the Police in doing their work more professionally, and have a successful prosecution where cases of noise pollution are concerned,” he explained.
Adding to this, Commander of Region Three, Senior Superintendent Errol Watts said that there should be some amendment to the laws of Guyana that cater for quiet zone areas.
“This is to ensure that we expand on the areas where quiet zones should be. School, educational institutions, the University of Guyana and those places, so that learning can take place in a more conducive environment,” the Commander posited.

Watts further stated that since virtual classes were implemented due to the pandemic, there have been a number of reports that both students and teachers are being disturbed while they are in their own home.
“I will like to advise those persons who are behaving irresponsible, to respect our teachers, and support our teachers in their discharge in their responsibility to mould our nation…,” the Regional Commander pleaded.