Pictured are Jamestown Police Chief Timothy Jackson, left, and City Council President Anthony Dolce, R-Ward II, during a public safety forum in 2022. P-J file photo by Eric Tichy

A city councilwoman expressed support for Jamestown’s police officers and its chief amid complaints that loud and reckless vehicles are not being properly addressed.

Councilwoman Marie Carrubba, D-Ward IV, took time during Monday’s voting session to recognize local officers as well as Timothy Jackson, the city’s chief of police and director of public safety. Her remarks followed a barrage of criticisms lobbed at the Jamestown Police Department by a local resident.

The man, who resides on the north side of the city, has long taken issue with “excessively loud vehicle noise, speeding and reckless drivers.” He claimed to have been lodging complaints spanning 20 years and two administrations at City Hall.

“Both mayors, (Sam) Teresi and (Eddie) Sundquist, stated to me that they would address these issues with their police chiefs to rectify these issues,” the resident said.

Monday’s meeting of the City Council was not the first time the north side resident has voiced displeasure with the police department and Jackson in particular. He then recommended the chief’s removal under the incoming mayor next year.

Carrubba immediately came to the defense of Jackson and the city’s police officers. She quickly pointed out that JPD has a nuisance officer who, with other patrol officers, have issued numerous tickets and violations for speeding, noise and loud mufflers.

Over the summer, The Post-Journal spent several hours during an evening shift with the nuisance officer. During that time, motorists with loud exhausts and bicyclists riding on the sidewalk were stopped.

A bevy of noise-related complaints also were central to community input meetings hosted at various parks by the Jamestown Police Department and city Department of Development.

On Monday, Carrubba said she understood the resident’s frustration, but also alluded to the lack of police officers to be “everywhere in the city at all times to catch everybody doing these things.”

“We would love to have more enforcement, but they’re doing the best they can,” she continued. “There are many more instances of crimes and things going on that take much more priority over loud noise and mufflers. And, unfortunately with the speed, even with reducing traffic lanes, it continues. We would like to see that stopped, but until every citizen in this community recognizes there are speed limits, there are noise ordinances, and everything else, this is what we’re going to be dealing with.”

She added, “I want to applaud the police, and Chief Jackson, for everything they’ve been doing over the years and everything they have done to try to reduce the noise and these complaints.”

Following her comments, City Councilman Bill Reynolds, R-Ward V, added simply, “Ditto.”