Fair Lawn, NJ – Residents of Fair Lawn now have a new way to report persistent noise they say is carrying across the Passaic River from neighboring Paterson.
Mayor Cristina Cutrone announced the borough has established a dedicated phone number, (201) 777-6144, that automatically routes callers to the Paterson Police Department while allowing Fair Lawn to collect data on when and where complaints originate. Officials say the goal is to better understand the scope of the problem and share that information with Paterson.
Borough wants data to identify trends
For several years, Fair Lawn residents were instructed to contact Paterson police directly when loud music or other noise disturbances occurred. However, borough officials said that process left them without any way to measure how often residents were calling or which neighborhoods were most affected.
The mayor said the borough hopes the information collected through the new reporting system will ultimately help Paterson identify solutions that benefit residents in both communities.
Residents remain skeptical
Some residents welcomed the new system but questioned whether documenting complaints would lead to meaningful enforcement.
Others expressed greater frustration on social media. One resident wrote that previous complaints to Paterson police resulted in being told officers had “more serious problems” to address, while another said people who repeatedly disturb neighboring communities should face fines.
Mayor Cutrone acknowledged that summertime typically brings an increase in noise complaints and said the borough hopes the new reporting system will provide objective data to support future discussions with Paterson officials.
Residents experiencing noise they believe is originating from Paterson can report it by calling (201) 777-6144.
