(FOX40.COM) — Despite constant warnings about hefty fines, dangers, and other consequences of setting illegal fireworks, Northern California law enforcement kept busy on the Fourth of July as violators launched colorful explosives through the skies.
Sacramento
This year, some agencies worked undercover to catch people violating firework rules. The Sacramento Fire Department drove around in unmarked cars and cited people without their knowledge.
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“We actually patrolled up and down the neighborhoods and if we see fireworks leaving the ground from a property, we’ll take video and pictures,” said Sacramento City Fire Marshal Jason Lee on Independence Day. “We’ll document that and send a citation in the mail to the property owner.”
FOX40’s Zach Boetto rode along with the Sacramento Fire Department and said within the first 30 minutes, five citations were issued for illegal fireworks. In Sacramento, the first fine for violating firework laws is $1,000, the second is $2,500 and the third is $5,000.
Video footage showed Sacramento’s sky lit up in all directions with illegal fireworks that boomed nonstop throughout the night time hours.
Fairfield
Between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. on Thursday, the Fairfield Police Department said they responded to 494 calls. Of those calls, 151 of them were related to fireworks.
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“We typically receive that amount of calls in a single day,” FPD said on on social media.
Hours before, the FPD issued a public reminder that “fireworks are banned within city limits” and that officers and dispatchers will be hard at work for fireworks. However, several people seemingly missed the memo.
Woodland
The Woodland Police Department said they were “very busy” but “heavily staffed” to deal with a large number of illegal fireworks.
‘You light it, we write it,” WPD said. “No, we won’t catch all of them but we will give it our best all night.”
Shortly after nightfall officers said they issued nearly 30 citations for illegal fireworks with four of them being over $10,000. This comes days after WPD issued a $120,000 fine to someone for possession of illegal fireworks.
Sutter County
Sutter County Sheriff’s Office reported that 11 citations were issued for illegal fireworks and one felony arrest was made for a homemade explosive.
Besides Sacramento, other agencies did not specify if they had people working under cover.
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Source Agencies
