A late-night call to 911 didn’t go the way a Friendship resident expected—and it’s sparking a bigger debate about noise, neighbors, and whether the county needs clearer rules.
Around 1:26 a.m., a caller contacted 911 wanting to file a noise complaint about activity coming from a neighbor’s garage.
That’s when dispatch dropped the bad news:
👉 There is no county noise ordinance.
📞 Party… or Fight? The Story Shifts
The caller told dispatch he didn’t want to get involved with his neighbors but said he believed they might be fighting in the garage. When asked to clarify, he admitted he couldn’t say for certain, only that he heard yelling.
However, dispatch notes show the caller had initially reported a party in the garage, not a fight.
🚓 Deputies Check It Out
Deputies from the Scioto County Sheriff’s Office responded to the residence and spoke with everyone inside the home and garage.
What they found:
- No fight
- No domestic violence
- No crime
Instead, deputies determined the group was playing video games and drinking alcohol.
Everyone was advised to be mindful of their neighbors, and that was the end of it.
🤔 So… What’s the Answer Here?
No ordinance means no citation.
No crime means no arrest.
Just tired neighbors and awkward conversations.
Which raises the question many residents keep asking:
👉 Does the county need a noise ordinance for late-night disturbances?
👉 Or should people simply learn to be better neighbors and keep it down after midnight?
Right now, if it’s loud but not illegal, deputies can only ask nicely.
