Fireworks Complaints Not A Job For Cops, Brooklyn Pols Say

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — Booming fireworks frustrations in Brooklyn prompted local officials to call for more city help — but not necessarily from the NYPD.

Borough President Eric Adams and Bed-Stuy Councilman Robert Cornegy on Sunday instead called for community-based Cure Violence groups to serve as pyrotechnic problem solvers.

Let police investigate where the illegal explosives come from and crack down on suppliers, they said.

"Illegal fireworks aren’t just nuisances; they're dangerous. We need solutions that don't just think outside the box, they destroy the box - engaging community groups to meet people where they are and speak their language," Adams said in a statement. "As we re-evaluate the role of law enforcement in upholding quality of life concerns, we must re-envision our frontline response to these kinds of nonviolent acts, using Cure Violence groups and fraternal organizations such as the Vulcan Society and the Guardians Association to communicate with people about the dangers of fireworks."

Illegal fireworks complaints boomed during the coronavirus pandemic, especially in Brooklyn neighborhoods like Flatbush, Crown Heights and Bed-Stuy, 311 data shows.

And it appears the barrage isn't slowing down.

"I seriously feel like we are living in a warzone right now," wrote one member of Bedstuy Friends, a Facebook group.

What set off the fireworks boom is hard to pin down.

Some blame months of being cooped up during the pandemic. Still others have speculated online that NYPD or official inaction — or actively setting off fireworks, as seen in Crown Heights — is purposely trying to stoke frustrations as retaliation of sorts over Black Lives Matter protests.

Police issued three summonses citywide for illegal fireworks during lockdown, according to 311 data available last week. They took action on 419 calls out of 1,458 complaints made, the data shows. In nearly half of calls, cops reported they couldn't find any evidence of a violation.

Another potential spark behind the calls is many fireworks appear to be professional-grade, similar to Macy's July 4 fireworks, a release from Adams and Cornegy states. It states a Crown Heights man recently was hospitalized in critical condition after a firework ricocheted off a window and struck him.

Whatever the cause, the frustrations come at a time of rising calls after the killing of George Floyd to reimagine law enforcement's role in dealing with community issues.

Cornegy said in a statement it's "a moment for rethinking and reimagining how we address issues like illegal fireworks."

"We have the benefit of guidance from Cure Violence and violence interrupter models that prioritize community education and community engagement," he said. "These times demand that we stop disproportionately leaning on policing and law enforcement. Instead, we must conscientiously pursue alternatives."