Citrus Heights Police Chief Alex Turcotte provided a statistical summary of fireworks call for service (CFS) received by the department on July 4. Photo courtesy of the Citrus Heights Police Department

CITRUS HEIGHTS, CA (MPG) – Citrus Heights City Council members watched attentively as a video clip embedded in the first slide of a presentation by Citrus Heights Police Chief Alex Turcotte provided an up-close aerial drone’s eye view from 1,000 feet in the sky as colorful bursts from illegal fireworks lit up the July 4 skies over just one city neighborhood.

This year, the Citrus Heights Police Department deployed unmanned aerial support (UAS) drones as helpful “eyes in the sky” for officers on the ground, Turcotte told the council as he provided a full report of the extent of illegal fireworks violations and citations issued over the Fourth of July holiday at the Aug. 13 City Council meeting.

The police chief provided a summary of operational highlights of this year’s comprehensive enforcement effort, acknowledging the combined efforts of all involved.

Use of the UAS drones assisted officers in locating and documenting illegal fireworks in real time throughout the city. The Citrus Heights Police Department also established a dedicated fireworks call center this year, Turcotte said.

Sales of “safe and sane” fireworks are often one of the biggest annual fundraisers for various nonprofit organizations, with sales legally allowed to begin  at noon June 28 and continue through July 4.

Chief Turcotte recognized those who use the “safe and sane” fireworks sold each year responsibly. Much of the illegal fireworks which are brought into the city come from Nevada and are imported from overseas, he said.

This year, enhanced laws, higher fines, proactive outreach and unmanned aerial support (UAS) drone support combined to improve enforcement and community safety during peak fireworks times over the July 4 holiday, according to the Citrus Heights Police Department.

This mix of new enhanced enforcement measures proved especially successful, Turcotte told council members.

In all, the Citrus Heights Police Department received a total of 222 fireworks-related calls for service on July 4 out of a total 428 calls received. Calls concerning fireworks accounted for 52 percent of all calls received during the holiday.

Overall, fireworks Calls for Service (CFS) increased from 175 in 2023 to 222 calls this year. The total number of calls for service over the same three-year period on July 4 rose from 399 to 428.

Some 350 illegal fireworks were observed in the city and citations were issued at 49 different locations, according to the Citrus Heights Police Department. Unmanned aerial surveillance (UAS) units accounted for almost half of the citations which were issued, Turcotte said.

In those 49 individual locations, some 350 separate individual violations for aerial fireworks were reported, Turcotte told council members.

The Citrus Heights Police Department also has a witness attestation program, which allows officers to press charges on residents who light off illegal fireworks from witnesses willing to testify in person that they observed illegal fireworks being discharged.

Reports of illegal fireworks to the city’s See-Click-Fix website accounted for 61 reports.

“Code Enforcement personnel were also a great player this year,” Turcotte said. “They did a great job manning the call center and helping the department leverage non-field patrol assets to issue violations,” Turcotte said.

Some $221,000 in fines were imposed following the July 4 holiday and $10,800 has been collected so far, Turcotte said.

Citrus Heights Police Department records personnel also created a database to review and filter citations, enhancing due process with a free initial citation review.

Since July 4, code enforcement personnel have recontacted reporting parties (RPs) to refine violation locations and secure attestations. Many served as spotters for the UAS team, freeing patrol units, Turcotte said.

Animal Control personnel helped reunite lost pets with their owners and assisted Code Enforcement with reporting parties calls and spotting violations, he said.

The City Council in April unanimously approved updates to the fireworks ordinance that increased fines and tightened enforcement capabilities for the police department.

Citrus Heights has had several fireworks booths registered this year representing multiple nonprofit organizations and schools.

Fines were increased from $750 to $1,000 for a first offense. The city also revised its social host ordinance to include property that is under the “apparent control” of a property owner, which could include sidewalks or other adjacent land. 

The city’s fireworks code has since added a $5,000 per device fine for third and subsequent violations within one year and changed the violation type to an infraction where it had previously been listed as a misdemeanor.

An ordinance made permanent by the Citrus Heights City Council in 2022 prohibits setting off fireworks after 11 p.m., including those labeled “safe and sane.” The ordinance also allows authorities to cite landlords and those deemed “social hosts,” if illegal fireworks were discharged on the property.

Juvenile violators were removed as a responsible party for the financial obligation of an issued citation. Now it’s solely a parent or guardian’s responsibility.

In its recent meeting, the Citrus Heights City Council also considered and approved language to modify the current ordinance to end fireworks sales on the Fourth of July from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m.