Every year, starting in June and extending through July we experience fireworks going off all over the city. It’s not merely annoying but in some areas it’s dangerous given how much of the city is covered with trees. Complaints about fireworks come from all parts of the city
Possessing or setting off fireworks in the city is illegal, unless you have a permit. Fines and punishments range from $500 to $1000 and up to a year in County jail for a misdemeanor. Factors include the type of fireworks (“Safe and sane” vs. “dangerous”) and overall weight.
In the past year, there were nearly 200 “calls for service” about fireworks, but Police were only able to open 8 cases. Strangely enough, most of these cases were opened in October and December.
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In order to make an arrest, Police must witness the perpetrator committing the act, or have a witness willing to make a "private person's arrest". In the vast majority of cases, by the time Police arrive on the scene, the perpetrators have either fled the scene or are no longer setting off the fireworks.
Arrests can be made based on the testimony of witnesses who are willing to file a complaint, however, this rarely happens, even though in some cases the perpetrators are known to the people complaining.
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Some people have asked for special Police patrols in their neighborhoods to prevent fireworks from going off, especially in the June/July months. With fireworks going off in all parts of the city, the City doesn’t have the money to allow for special patrols.
What can be done? If you are experiencing fireworks going off in your neighborhood and you know who is doing it, you should taLk to them (or more likely their parents) and ask them to stop. If you don’t know who is doing it, you can consider taking a photo and sending it to the Police. But keep in mind you need to catch them in the act. Or, if you have a photo and are willing to testify that the photo shows the perpetrator while, just before or after he/she set off the fireworks, this may be sufficient to open a case.
Beyond individual acts, you should consider setting up a neighborhood watch. Click Here for details on how to do that. A Neighborhood Watch can be effective in keeping people out of your neighborhood and in helping apprehend perpetrators. As well, Neighborhood Watch is useful for a variety of problems (e.g., crime, parking).
Fireworks can be annoying and possibly dangerous. To help solve the problem it takes involvement of everyone. There simply are not enough Police resources to be able to effectively manage this problem.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Jim Gardner is on the City Council for Lake Forest where he serves as Mayor. You can check him out on LinkedIn and/or Facebook and you can share your thoughts about the City at Lake Forest Town Square on Facebook. His Twitter handle is @DrJimGardner. His comments are not meant to reflect official City Policy.
Dr. Gardner has office hours every Tuesday from 4 pm to 6 pm at the City Hall. In addition, he holds a town hall meeting every quarter. The next meeting will be Aug 16 at 7 pm at the Lake 1 Clubhouse (Ridge Route).
