KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Knoxville Police Department said officers conducted several patrols over the weekend, specifically focused on addressing noise ordinance violations. According to a post on social media, KPD focused on addressing cars with loud exhausts.
KPD said that on Friday, patrols were mainly focused on the Gay Street area. While conducting the patrols, officers gave out six citations, which included four for noise ordinance violations and five warning citations.
The next day, on Nov. 4, KPD said patrols continued to work around the Gay Street area while also expanding into the Cumberland Avenue corridor. They said the patrols gave out 11 citations and 12 warning citations. Officers also gave out a misdemeanor citation and made an arrest that was not related to noise ordinance violations.
A downtown neighbor said noise events like these have been occurring for weeks.
"It feels like Pigeon Forge and Rod Rod have come to Gay Street," Kevin Grimac said, who lives in Gay Street,
He said on Sundays at around 5 p.m. is when motorcyclists usually fill Gay Street.
"A 100 motorcycles of all varieties, from street bikes to dirt bikes to mini bikes, and they take over the street," Grimac said. "Both lanes, both northbound and southbound. So they're crossing the yellow line and making traffic impassable."
The sounds of cars and motorcycles exhaust are his new neighborhood noise.
"They'll be backed up to the red light, and they will rev their engines to unbelievable noise levels," he said.
In 2022, Knoxville leaders began installing noise monitoring cameras meant to gather information and track engine car noises. The cameras were first installed on Gay Street, at the Clinch Avenue intersection. The cameras created a recording every time a noise registered above 86 decibels.
The city said it would continue the program, monitoring areas for excessive noise. The cameras were moved to the Cumberland Avenue area, near the University of Tennessee campus, later in the year.
"It is a priority of the Knoxville Police Department to reduce order maintenance crimes in the downtown Knoxville area, and we are grateful to the Central District for their efforts to address persistent issues that impact the quality of life for downtown residents and visitors alike," KPD said on their social media post.