It’s common to expect fireworks on the fourth of July, but in Lompoc, people are already hearing them.
“This year in particular, they are not necessarily fireworks, they are explosions,” said resident Diane Coulter.
Scott Morgan, a sergeant with the Lompoc Police Department, says calls ramp up from early May through around mid-July.
He says during that time frame last year, the department received nearly 300 calls related to illegal fireworks.
With reports already coming in this year, the department has launched a feature on its mobile app in an effort to keep 911 lines open.
"People shooting illegal fireworks is not an emergency that we can tie up our lines with, so, we want to keep those lines free for emergencies,” Sgt. Morgan said.
He says it can be difficult to issue citations related to the use of illegal fireworks.
“Unless we know specifically where they’re coming from or see with our own eyes, not a lot we can do,“ Sgt. Morgan said.
Citations for illegal aerial fireworks start at $1,000. Sgt. Morgan says tips, which can be anonymous, are routed through the app and into dispatch, then emailed to officers for response.
“In the next week or two or right before the fourth, we'll have special patrols out designed to look for those. So, all these tips that are coming in, they'll go right to those officers,” he said.
You can download the iPhone app at "USPDHUB" or in the PlayStore at "Lompoc Police Department."
