NY police get tough on noise

SOME of New York’s noise violation laws are going down like a lead balloon.

Take hospital worker George Pulido who was taken to court by police for causing noise pollution because his son's balloon burst.

Pulido was walking through a New York neighbourhood when the Winnie the Pooh balloon his son Christopher was carrying popped.

"Three cops were at the curb in a car and one of them called me over and said he was giving me a ticket," said Mr Pulido.

The policeman told Mr Pulido he was making "unreasonable noise".

He said when he asked the officer "Are you serious?" he was met with a steely glare and a stern reply: "Do you think popping a balloon is funny?"

Mr Pulido added: "At that point I just said just give me the ticket ... whatever."

The 29-year-old father added: "I couldn't believe it. It was just a normal-sized party balloon and it was an accident. You'd make more noise closing the door of a police car."

Mr Pulido was with nine-year-old Christopher, his other son Brandon, 19 months, and wife, Christina, 27, an accountant, when he was booked.

The family was in the borough of Queens, returning from a friend's child's birthday party.

Mr Pulido said give me the ticket The 29-year-old father added: "I couldn't believe it. It was just a normal-sized party balloon and it was an accident. You'd make more noise closing the door of a police car."

Mr Pulido was with nine-year-old Christopher, his other son Brandon, 19 months, and wife, Christina, 27, an accountant, when he was booked.

The family was in the borough of Queens, returning from a friend's child's birthday party.

Mr Pulido said "My whole family was upset, especially Christopher, because he thought the cops were going to take me to jail."

He will appear before a court in Queens today to answer the summons. Police declined to comment on the case.

Other odd summonses in New York recently have been issued for using "multiple subway seats", and sitting on a milk crate on a pavement.

A pregnant woman was given a ticket for resting on the steps to a subway.

New York police have regularly been accused of having a ticket quota to fulfil and are dishing them out irrationally so that the bubble won't burst.