I live in a residential neighborhood in south Arlington. Single-family homes, families, working people. It is not a college area.
My next-door neighbors — a group of 4 guys in their early 20s who rent the house — have been throwing parties regularly since they moved in 6 months ago. Weekend parties I can tolerate. It is DFW, people have fun, I get it.
But last Tuesday night — a TUESDAY — the party started at 10 PM and by midnight the bass was shaking my walls. I could hear individual conversations from inside my house with the windows closed. There were 30+ cars parked up and down our street, blocking driveways.
I work at 6 AM. My wife works at 7 AM. Our 3-year-old was woken up twice by the noise.
At 12:30 AM, I walked over and asked them to turn it down. The response was "It is a free country bro" and the door closed in my face.
At 1 AM, I called Arlington PD non-emergency. Officers came at 1:45 AM. The party was shut down. Two people were cited for public intoxication.
The next morning, one of the guys knocked on my door and called me a "snitch" and said I "ruined their night." He said "You could have just asked us" — I DID ask them. He said "You did not ask nicely enough."
Now the neighborhood Facebook group has a thread about it. Most people support me. Three people said I should have "handled it neighbor-to-neighbor" and calling the cops was "extreme."
Here is my question: after asking in person and being dismissed, what other option did I have at 1 AM on a Tuesday?
Am I wrong?
Not wrong. You asked first. They told you to pound sand. Calling the non-emergency line at 1 AM on a weeknight after being dismissed is the textbook appropriate response. You did everything right and in the right order.