The Metropolitan Police Department reported a decline in the number of calls to 911 for noise violations in Georgetown and Burleith in recent months, according to university spokeswoman Stacy Kerr.

Kerr said the decrease came as the Student Neighborhood Assistance Program has stepped up its patrols of the area.

“Part of this could be attributed to the effectiveness of SNAP teams deterring noise, as they are patrolling, not just to respond to calls, but also to proactively prevent noise levels from rising in residential areas,” Kerr said.

A team of 12 SNAP security officers patrol the West Georgetown and Burleith areas between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m. on weekends, and is often the first to respond to noise complaints from neighboring residents.

In its recent filings in support of the 2010 Campus Plan, the university argued that SNAP’s heightened presence has contributed to a reduction in the number of 911 calls from residents.

“The number of 911 complaints regarding students has been low and [is] trending downward evidencing the efficacy of [this] program,” the report said.

According to the university, SNAP is designed to help students avoid interactions with MPD, especially in light of the D.C. noise ordinance passed last spring. The law sanctions those who make loud noise between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. with a $500 fine or up to 90 days in prison.

Though no Georgetown students have been arrested for noise violations so far, two were given a warning on Jan. 5, according to DPS reports.

Meanwhile, 19 percent of the calls made to SNAP last semester either did not involve Georgetown students or were regarding neighboring residences not occupied by Georgetown students, according to Kerr.

But Chris Clements, president of the Burleith Citizens Association, said that residents of Georgetown and Burleith have found SNAP to be ineffective in mitigating concerns related to student noise and rowdiness.

“The general sense that I have gotten from Georgetown and Burleith residents, as well as the majority of the people who have called SNAP in the past, is that they haven’t been very effective in addressing people’s concerns,” Clements said.