As the Fourth of July holiday approaches, the Hemet Police Department is reminding residents that all fireworks are prohibited within the City of Hemet, including those marketed as “Safe and Sane.”
Each year, illegal fireworks generate hundreds of calls for service from concerned residents. To address these concerns, the Hemet Police Department will once again deploy a dedicated Fireworks Enforcement Team on July 4. The operation will consist of multiple enforcement teams assigned throughout the city and supported by patrol officers working their regular beats.
The enforcement effort will also include collaboration with City of Hemet Code Enforcement Officers, who will assist with fireworks-related enforcement and administrative citations. Department officials said they will take a zero-tolerance approach to fireworks violations and will actively pursue enforcement action when violations are observed or documented.
“We understand that many residents want to celebrate the holiday, but illegal fireworks continue to create serious quality-of-life issues throughout our community,” Lieutenant Derek Maddox said. “Our goal is to reduce the number of fireworks being used in our neighborhoods and hold violators accountable before they cause injury, property damage, or start a fire.”
This year, the Department will continue utilizing its Drone as First Responder (DFR) program and a dedicated rapid-deployment drone team to assist officers in identifying and locating fireworks violations. Technology used during enforcement efforts may include live video feeds to assist responding officers, infrared imaging to locate individuals in low-light conditions, recorded video evidence to support citations and investigations, and rapid drone deployment to improve response times and officer effectiveness
Individuals found possessing, using, selling, or distributing illegal fireworks may face administrative fines of up to $1,000 per violation, as well as criminal prosecution when applicable. Citations may be issued at the time of the violation or mailed at a later date based on evidence collected during the investigation, including officer observations, photographs, video recordings, and other technology-assisted evidence
Residents may report illegal fireworks by calling the Fireworks Hotline at 951-765-3827. Residents are asked not to call 9-1-1 for routine fireworks complaints. Emergency lines should remain available for life-threatening emergencies and active fire situations.
