Photo by voteprime.

According to a new law which went into effect on Friday, someone who is being excessively loud in the District could risk being put behind bars. The Georgetown Dish reports this morning about the new law, the Disorderly Conduct Amendment Act of 2010, which significantly bumps up fines for noise violations and continues to allow officers of the Metropolitan Police Department to place offenders under arrest, imprisoning those that are making noise which is “likely to annoy” for up to 90 days.

“We plan on using this law effective tonight at midnight,” said Hedgecock. Officers may use the law against a loud street musician, house party, car stereo and other disturbances, [Lt. John] Hedgecock said. … Asked if police would step up enforcement of noisy revelers leaving Georgetown bars at night, Hedgecock replied, “Absolutely.”

But it’s not just a Georgetown thing — Hedgecock told the ANC meeting that the ordinance would be applied citywide. The legislation — which was sponsored by Councilmember Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large), passed the Council in December, was signed by Mayor Vince Gray on January 19 and entered the D.C. Register last Friday — applies to both commercial and residential buildings. The Act also places a large amount of responsibility in the discretion of the officer who observes the noise violation.

The impact on the current city noise regulations are outlined in the notes from the Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary (PDF), which Mendelson chairs:

Despite the bill’s relatively smooth passage, there were opponents, and not only those who have a beef with the cops. Representatives from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, former attorney general Peter Nickles and, most notably, MPD Chief Cathy Lanier all cited issues with the law, citing that jailing people on disorderly conduct charges would create a lot more work for prosecutors. Lanier and Nickles submitted a joint statement saying that the law would create “needless litigation.”

What say you, Washington? Is the city’s new noise law a bit too much? Whatever you do, just don’t tell us using a megaphone on a crowded public street — we’d hate to see any of you locked up.