Police in Paris have been told to turn off their sirens for being “too loud” as a politician has said they may be using them to “get home more quickly”.
City officials have said wailing sirens are becoming all too common and have launched an initiative to call upon emergency services to use the sirens less often.
This solution follows the publication of a study which revealed the impact the emergency sirens are having on residents of the city.
The study, carried out by Bruitparif, a council-run centre for monitoring noise, found that sirens were responsible for 42 per cent of ambient noise in some of Paris’s districts.
City officials have said wailing sirens are becoming all too common
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On the Boulevard Berthier, near the capital’s main court, there are an average of 11.8 sirens between 6-10am, including police vehicles and prison vans.
At Porte d-Asnieres, also nearby, it was found that there was a total of 27 minutes a day of sirens measured at 108.2 decibels at a distance of two metres.
The sirens have been affecting residents and business owners, who say the noise is driving away customers.
Fatih Latrach, the manager of La Rucola restaurant on the Boulevard Malesherbes, called the environment “infernal.”
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Speaking to Le Parisien newspaper, he said: “Everyone is leaving the neighbourhood because of that.
“It’s a catastrophe for our businesses and the cause of a loss of revenue. People don’t want to sit on the terrace because they can’t hear themselves think.”
He claimed that when traffic was jammed, police “prefer to leave their sirens on for ten minutes rather than getting out and trying to unblock the situation.”
A government spokesman said the sirens were being used for “the operational requirement not to be blocked, with lives often at stake”.
However, in France, public opinion towards the police is hostile, with many believing the force offered more hindrance than help. This has led to the refusal of drivers to move out of the way.
An old Parisian joke says that when a police car uses its siren, it’s because the officers inside are rushing for an aperitif.
Some say the joke contains some truth, including centre-right councillor Geffroy Boulard who represents the court district.
Boulard said: “I don’t want to accuse anyone but… we know perfectly well that some police units use their sirens to get back to the police station more quickly in the evening. It’s important to make the emergency services aware of the need to use their sirens proportionately.”
An old Parisian joke says that when a police car uses its siren, it’s because the officers inside are rushing for an aperitif
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Several meetings have been held in recent months between city officials and police officers to address this issue.
One suggestion from Charles-Edwin Eliachar, chief of staff for the Paris police chief, was to introduce “American sirens,” implying they are less noisy than the French version.
Paris police chief Laurent Nuñez admitted he was “aware that [sirens] can cause a climate that is worrying, and noise that is sometimes judged excessive for residents”. Privately, he has reportedly promised disciplinary action against officers who turn on the sirens for no real reason.
Paris council, which already installed two sound detectors in the city, has agreed to install four more, at a cost of €20,000 – a move they say will help provide new figures on noise pollution.
The honking of horns is also being targeted, after it was revealed that they contribute to 12 per cent of ambient street noise.
An electronic message board has also been installed in Boulevard Malesherbes to warn drivers when the noise level from their vehicle exceeds 85 decibels.