Fireworks calls to Kent Police dropped to 358 this year from 383 in 2020, a 6.5% decline over July 1-5.<\/p>\n
“The good news is we did see a small decrease in numbers from 2020,” Police Chief Rafael Padilla said during his July 20 Public Safety report to the City Council.<\/p>\n
The numbers from previous years included 245 calls in 2019; 297 in 2018; and 430 in 2017, which was the first year of the city’s fireworks ban.<\/p>\n
“They took a dive in 2018 and took a turn up in 2020,” Padilla said about the 56% jump from 2019. “I’d speculate maybe it had something to do with the lack of public shows (canceled due to COVID-19). The numbers were still high this year.”<\/p>\n
As with last year, police didn’t aggressively enforce the fireworks ban.<\/p>\n
“Our approach was we did not go out and try to make a bunch of arrests,” Padilla said. “We talked to people.”<\/p>\n
The chief said Mayor Dana Ralph joined him on patrol to see what Fourth of July night was like.<\/p>\n
“There were hundreds of fireworks going off,” Padilla said.<\/p>\n
Padilla said many of the 911 calls about fireworks during July 1-5 peaked at about 9 p.m. and began to taper off around 11 p.m. He said there were very few calls during the day.<\/p>\n
The council passed a fireworks ban in 2016 in part because 62% of voters approved a ban in a November 2015 advisory vote to the council. It is illegal to discharge fireworks at any time, and subject to a $250 ticket and the seizure of your fireworks. The discharge of fireworks in a reckless manner or possession of more than 20 pounds is a gross misdemeanor, punishable by up to one year in jail and\/or a $5,000 fine.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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