Arizona jails' Christmas music cut from 24 hours to 4 hours

PHOENIX, Dec. 24 (UPI) -- An Arizona sheriff said he reduced his tradition of playing Christmas music in jails 24 hours a day to only four hours per day after complaints from inmates.

Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who has had 24-hour Christmas music playing at Phoenix jails during the holiday season since 2005, said he reduced the amount this year to two hours in the morning and two hours in the evening due to complaints from inmates, KPHO-TV, Phoenix, reported Tuesday.

Arpaio said the Christmas music includes songs by artists including Andrea Bocelli, Elvis, Julio Iglesias and Alvin and the Chipmunks. He said the music also includes songs from other faiths, including Judaism and Mormonism.