Brian Hennessy
June 1, 2015 By Michael Florio
Several Jackson Heights residents were very vocal about noise complaints at the 115th precinct community council meeting late last month.
Many residents said that they had filed several complaints with the police yet the problem persists.
One resident complained about Cricket Wireless, a cell phone store located at 80-22 Northern Blvd, which allegedly plays loud music.
Jim Strawhorn, who has lived down the block from where the store is located, said the owner sets up a speaker in front their storefront and blasts music to attract customers.
He said that since the cell phone store opened three months ago it has been an ongoing issue.
“It goes on pretty much all day, seven days a week,” he said.
Strawhorn said that he has called 311 and filed numerous complaints, yet little seems to change.
“Nothing ever happens,” he said. “I have filed probably 20 complaints and every time I check up on it, it says no violation has been issued.”
Capt. Brian Hennessy, the commanding officer at the 115th Precinct, said that his officers typically do not respond to noised complaints until the more serious have been taken care of, usually resulting in a response hours later.
“They may respond five hours later, and while that’s unacceptable, they are out responding to emergencies,” he said. “By the time the officers get there the noise may have subsided.”
This was not the only complaint about noise residents had.
Several other residents said that their neighbors held constant parties, often lasting for hours on weekends.
Residents expressed their concerns that with summer starting these parties will become more numerous.
Hennessy said that residents should call 311—which noise complaints fall under– and report them no matter the time of day.
“There is no time limit for noise constraint,” he said. “If there is a noise complaint report it.”
He also added that officers do not just wait around to deal with noise complaints.
He said that if patrolling officers come across excess noise they will speak with the individuals responsible and either gain compliance to keep the noise down, or issue a summons.
Despite the many complaints about response times, one woman said that when she reported a noise problem stemming from a party, officers showed up within half an hour and the noise had stopped.
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