During two summer months, the police in the two counties received more than 600 calls related to cars playing loud music.
- This is not about occasional disturbances on a single night.
This is going on all the time.
It is a public health problem, says Jonas Wendel, local police area manager in Arvika.
According to Wendel, the police are forced to invest an unnecessary amount of resources in the problem:
- We have had to suspend planned drug operations and redirect to deal with the mischievous life.
Our Friday and Saturday nights are almost entirely spent dealing with this problem, when we really need to work on crime prevention in other ways.
Lacks tools
Today, the police lack effective tools to overcome the problem, says the police chief.
- As the legislation looks today, you have to prove who in the car is in charge of the music.
If there are a number of people in the vehicle, it is impossible.
Therefore, the police in the Bergslagen region propose that it be possible to fine the driver of the vehicle that plays loud music.
- We want to be able to fine on the spot so that there is a clear consequence of the behavior.
We lack that opportunity today, he says.
Minister was invited
To get a hearing for the problem, the police have invited Minister of the Interior Mikael Damberg (S) to Arvika on Friday.
- First, I want to listen to the proposal properly and see what experiences the police have.
There are examples where people have been fined for playing loud music.
But it seems to be still difficult for the police to access the nuisance, he tells TT.