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Despite issuing stern warnings and receiving 123 calls about illegal fireworks, the Redwood City Police Department reported zero arrests, zero citations, and no firework seizures on the Fourth of July this year.
“ALL FIREWORKS ARE ILLEGAL IN REDWOOD CITY. Don’t risk it. Up to $50,000 fines and jail time,” the city’s website warned.
Of the 123 calls Redwood City Police received regarding fireworks on the Fourth, officers were dispatched only twice; both times, they could not locate the fireworks’ source.
In most instances, Redwood City Police logged the calls without further action.
“We only go out if the person calling saw the fireworks and is willing to make a private person’s arrest and they always say no,” records supervisor Brooke Richardson explained.
She clarified that ‘advised’ meant dispatchers informed officers without sending a response.
In 2019, Redwood City handled Fourth of July fireworks very differently. According to then-Sgt. Russ Felker’s report, the street crime suppression team partnered with fire prevention officers to reduce fireworks usage that night.
The department received 95 calls about fireworks that year.
Officers responded but were unable to locate the fireworks 24 times.
Dispatchers advised officers in the area of a report of fireworks 49 times and only made a log note 17 times.
Officers were able to find the suspects and make a report only three times.
Officers issued two citations for illegal use of fireworks. In a third incident, officers confiscated a family’s fireworks but did not issue a citation because the family was apologetic, according to a report filed at the time.
With only two police officers and two fire prevention officers in 2019, Felker recommended additional resources for the following Fourth of July.
In an effort to reduce fireworks-related calls this year, the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office hosted three buyback events, during which residents could receive up to $200 in cash for their fireworks.
The buyback events were modeled after a 2023 pilot program in which the sheriff’s office collected 400 pounds of fireworks and reported a decrease in fireworks-related calls in the area.
This news organization sent a California Public Records Act request to the Sheriff’s Office for information on the cost of the buyback events and data on calls relating to fireworks on July 4, including the seven calls transferred from Redwood City police, but did not hear back in time for publication.
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