California’s illegal fireworks create tough assignment for ‘stretched thin’ law enforcement

Illegal fireworks are a predictable crime that Southern California law enforcement agencies are tasked with responding to come nightfall as Fourth of July celebrations get underway.

“It’s an all hands on deck day for us,” Lt. Thoby Archer with the Huntington Beach Police Department told the Orange County Register. “We’re stretched thin like every coastal city is.”

Law enforcement and fire agencies experience a rise in service calls on July Fourth each year due to illegal fireworks activity, fireworks-related injuries, and fires.

Last year, dispatchers in Huntington Beach, which is a coastal community about 35 miles south of Los Angeles, reportedly received more than 700 calls related to fireworks, an increase of 250 calls compared to 2022.

Archer said his department planned an increase of patrols in neighborhoods that have previously had problems with illegal fireworks.

Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes also said his department receives a 200% increase in 911 calls on July Fourth each year, “especially when it gets to the sundown hours when fireworks start to detonate.”

Riverside, a city about 50 miles east of Los Angeles, also beefed up its patrols. Riverside City Councilman Jim Perry said the city created task forces that are comprised of a police officer, a firefighter, and a code enforcement officer.

“That’s their sole responsibility,” Perry said. “The exception to that would be if the officer is the closest unit to an emergency call.”

Other cities, including Corona and San Bernardino, noted that they also created special teams to patrol their jurisdictions and investigate those who sell illegal fireworks ahead of the holiday.

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Fines for illegal fireworks can range from $1,000 to as high as $50,000 in some Southern California cities. 

To help combat the use of illegal fireworks, several law enforcement agencies created a phone app that its residents can use to report illegal fireworks activity.