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Police report: short‑term rental complaints concentrated, overall call volume low; registry proposed
Summary
Michigan City Police reported 35 calls for service related to loud noise, loud music or disturbances in the Sheridan Beach area from Jan. 1, 2024 to May 16, 2025, including three calls in 2025; staff proposed integrating a short‑term rental registry with dispatch to flag properties and enhance enforcement coordination.
Michigan City Police Chief Marty Corley told the Common Council on Tuesday that loud‑music, loud‑noise and disturbance complaints tied to short‑term rentals have been limited in number, but that staff will track and share data with code enforcement when appropriate.
Corley said the department reviewed calls labeled as loud noise, loud music or disturbance in the Sheridan Beach area and found 35 calls for service from Jan. 1, 2024 through May 16, 2025. He said 2024 accounted for about 30 calls and that from Jan. 1, 2025 through May 16, 2025 the department had received three such calls.
"So out of that, we had a total of 35 calls for service, from January the first of 2024 up until 5/16 of 2025. Out of those 35, we've only had 3 so far from 01/01/2025 to 05/16/2025," Corley said.
Corley described typical officer responses: knock on the door, request that occupants lower music, and leave if compliance follows; more intensive enforcement (arrest or disorderly‑conduct charges) is pursued when repeated calls occur or other aggravating factors exist. He said officers weigh manpower and competing priorities when deciding whether to escalate enforcement.
Council members proposed using a short‑term rental registry to flag Airbnbs and other listings in the dispatch system so officers know a property’s status when responding. Corley supported the approach and said the registry would allow police to coordinate with code enforcement and the fire marshal on capacity and repeat violators.
Chief Corley asked residents to report incidents rather than only telling council members after the fact; he provided the department’s non‑emergency number for noise complaints as 874‑3211 and said the department will increase public education and include rental data in dispatch if a registry is available.
The discussion was informational; no new ordinance was adopted during the meeting. Council members scheduled further short‑term rental workshops to discuss solutions and possible enforcement or registration options.
