I played at a “costume” party on Sat. night. It was in the gym of a school. There were about 100 folks on the dance floor and another few hundred milling around the room eating. Unfortunately, the gym is in the part of the school nearest to a residential area and at about 11:00 PM one of the neighbors must have called the cops. When the officer walked in the back door, someone commented to me "Either that is a really good costume, or we are in trouble."
So I had to lower my volume waaaaaaay down. Now I have been using the Bose system for over a year, but I was very worried that it was now so quiet that no one could dance. Well, I learned a lesson. The dancing actually picked up and did not taper off until 12:45 AM! I kept feeling the urge to tweak the master knob and raise it, but the threat of the police kept me from doing it. So… I now know that I don’t need that crazy loud pumped sound coming out of my speakers to carry the dance floor. I had the volume at very reasonable levels and everyone had a great time. If only I can remember that on the next gig! 20 years of LOUD is not an easy habit to break.
LOL! Great story! Sometimes we need some external incentive to break old habits! 
I know EXACTLY what the noise ordinance is for my city and I have a digital sound meter. That way…When they say “turn it down”, I can look them straight in the eye and tell them that I am complaint to the noise ordinance for the city and leave it at that. (of course you’d better be within the sound limits but most of the time they just say “turn it down” and I ask…“How much”?
That’s when I tell them I measured and I’m within limits.)
Not being a smart *** to the officer but letting them know that “I” am aware of the limits and can prove it.
Unfortunately, my city’s ordinance reads:
…
This constitutes disorderly conduct when the sound is plainly audible at a distance of 50 feet from the building, structure or vehicle from where it is emanating between the hours of 9:00 pm and 7:00 am; or at a distance of 100 feet between 7:00 am and 9:00 pm.
…
So if the you can hear it 50 feet away (and Bose L1s throws very far 
) then you have broken the ordinance. I can display the decibel level all I want, and I will still be in trouble.
Right or wrong, arguing with the police is not the way to go.
I used to like it when people argued. It made my job so much easier. That said, we used a Db meter and gave the house the benefit of a doubt when ever possible.