Police Likely to Step Up Fireworks Enforcement Next Year, Chief Says

Police made 10 arrests and more than 100 pounds of illegal fireworks were confiscated over the Fourth of July weekend, the police and fire chiefs said in a report to the City Council Tuesday.

Police Chief Neil Telford and Fire Dennis Haag gave the official report to the council following a weekend that saw no fires in the city caused by fireworks but numerous cases of illegal fireworks activity, including one incident that led to a brawl between officers and a group of six family members.

The amount of fireworks-related incidents led some council members to call on the city to possibly reevaluate San Bruno’s Fourth of July policy, which bans illegal fireworks but allows safe and sane fireworks during a certain number of days each year.

After hearing about the deluge of complaints the received about illegal fireworks, Councilman Rico Medina suggested reducing the number of days organizations could sell fireworks at their booths.

That suggestion, however, would have to go before the voters because the city’s 2005 fireworks ordinance determines how long fireworks booths can stay open.

Mayor Jim Ruane said he was particularly frustrated because the city is operating under rules that have already been decided and with staffing levels that can’t be changed at the moment.

“People are always asking me, ‘Why can’t you as the City Council stop fireworks?” Ruane said at the Tuesday council meeting. “It’s not up to the council. We’re doing the very best we can with what we have.”

Overall, police received 157 complaints of fireworks violations from June 28 to July 5, when officers for the Fourth of July weekend, Telford said.

On July 4 alone, the Police Department received 211 calls for service, which is fewer than last year, which saw 266 calls, Telford said.

About 100 calls were made to police between 8 and 11 p.m. on July 4, which is usually the peak period when police receive most of the complaints about illegal fireworks.

During that period, at around 8:50 p.m. after a resident was spotted throwing an M-1000 into the street. The incident led to a melee between officers and members of the Rapada family in an apartment complex on East Avenue. Four of the family members were arrested.

Police also gave out nine $1,000 fines to people for illegal fireworks. One youth was arrested on fireworks charges.

On the other hand, the received only 12 calls on July 4, and none were related to fireworks, Haag said.

Haag added that firefighters did respond to a suspicious grass fire on Goodwin Drive on July 3. The cause of the fire couldn’t be confirmed, Haag said.

While the amount of calls for service was about as equal as last year, Telford said the number of residents setting off illegal fireworks seemed higher and that will likely result in some changes for next year.

“It’s difficult because in the three previous years we’ve experienced a steady decline,” Telford told the council. “But then you have one incident that throws the whole game plan off. So we’re going to reevaluate our efforts, and we’ll likely be increasing our efforts next year.”