Albuquerque city councilor wants to install noise cameras in Downtown

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) –  An Albuquerque city councilor is hoping to crack down on loud noise near neighborhoods, looking to revive a resolution that promised to bring a noise camera pilot program to the Downtown area.

“It is noisy. Cars, sometimes gunshots, it’s random,” stated a Barelas resident who wanted to remain anonymous.

Councilor Joaquin Baca is hoping to put a stop to increasing noise by bringing back attention to a resolution that would implement noise cameras.

The resolution passed in 2022 and was originally presented by Councilor Brook Bassan and former councilors Trudy Jones and Isaac Benton. Councilor Baca says the technology would help alert police of extreme noise past certain hours and near neighborhoods, especially on Sundays past 1 a.m.

“It’s not enough to just manage the traffic. You have to disincentivize a lot of the activity, part of that is through enforcement,” said Councilor Joaquin Baca, District 2.

Councilor Baca said the pilot program would be developed with the input of Albuquerque Police Department (APD). Last year, APD said noise cameras had not been installed because the technology was not ready, but Councilor Baca says it’s time they start testing possible options.

“Food trucks that have loudspeakers and really loud generators. That’s fine during business hours, but when it’s 1 a.m. on a Sunday, that’s not okay,” stated Baca.

According to the resolution, the noise cameras would be able to capture a car’s information based on noise levels as they drive by. Baca said this pilot would first focus on areas like Central and the Barelas neighborhood.

“I just want our neighborhoods and our communities to be safe, I want the people who live there to feel safe,” explained Baca.

Councilor Baca said they plan on bringing up the resolution during a council meeting in August.

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