Mind your woofers, drivers: Elgin targeting loud car stereos

If you lower that convertible top, you might want do the same to the volume on your car stereo if you live in Elgin or are just passing through town.

Elgin police have only issued a handful of tickets so far this year to drivers violating the city's strict sound amplification ordinance, but that likely will change with the year's warmest weekend on tap.

Last spring, Deputy Chief Jeff Swoboda said the department was taking a no-nonsense, no-warning approach to enforcing the law.

This year will be no different, he vowed Friday.

"I don't think people need to be warned to be good neighbors," Swoboda said. "(If) you're driving down the street, waking people up, setting off car alarms, ratting windows, there's no warning for that."

Last year, the department doled out 215 tickets for violation of the city's noise ordinance. But that was one-third less than the 326 issued in 2007.

Swoboda couldn't exactly put his finger on reasons for the drop.

He speculated that perhaps more motorists know about the law, which has evolved over time. In 2001, city leaders added a mandatory tow and upped the fine from $100 to $250,

"You're dealing with an ordinance violation that's moving," he added. "It has improved, but there's still way too many violations out there."

Surrounding towns, such as East Dundee, West Dundee and Carpentersville have their own laws about noise from car stereos. But the problems there are not as prevalent as they are in Elgin. For example, West Dundee police issued less than five noise tickets in 2007.

Swoboda said noise is one of the top complaints from Elgin's residents and the city's law is one of the toughest in the suburbs.

If music from a car stereo can be heard from more than 75 feet away, the vehicle will be towed and its contents inventoried before taken to the tow lot.

While not technically a search, it often turns up contraband like illegal drugs, weapons and open alcohol, Swoboda said.

A $250 bond, plus a towing fee, must be paid to get it back.

The $250 sum is the same amount as the court fine if the driver is found guilty. Because those two numbers are the same, it is easier for the city to collect the fine.

"It was intentional that the fine is the same as the bond. The bond is returned if there's a finding of not guilty," said Bill Cogley, the city's corporation counsel.