New London — The city police department recently announced "Operation Quiet Down," an effort to address the complaints of excessive noise in the city.

Chief Brian Wright said there are regular complaints about noise from fireworks and loud music — especially post-pandemic — but police are focusing on the complaints about loud vehicles and motorcycles.

When manpower permits it, Wright said officers will designate days and times to catch up with owners of vehicles with loud mufflers or stop drivers who enjoy revving their engine at stop lights or can be seen "zipping up and down the same corridor," and causing headaches for neighbors. He did not identify which neighborhoods.

"It appears to be a concern of many residents," Wright said. "We'll do our best to address the matter. It's not a sprint. It's a marathon and we're going to try and do better to respond to these types of calls. If we make contact with that individual, we can have an educational moment. If we can't, we'll take a more formal disposition."

That could include citations, Wright said.

"We want everyone to be able to enjoy our extraordinary City and everything it has to offer," he said in a statement. "Everyone should be able to enjoy New London without noise that interferes with everyday life."

According to a news release sent out this week, the department also will continue to explore new methods for curbing noise pollution in addition to ramping up patrols, the department said.

"Exaggerated noise levels have been a longstanding quality of life and health issue, and we want to be proactive in addressing it," Wright said.

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