SAPD issued only 1 citation for New Year’s Eve fireworks
The San Antonio Police Department issued only one citation and 21 warnings for fireworks use on New Year’s Eve, despite videos showing illegal fireworks lighting up the night sky.
Police did not say why the one citation was given or how many fireworks calls officers responded to that night.
Certain fireworks were banned in Bexar County ahead of the New Year’s Eve celebrations. In an order approved by the County Commissioner’s Court last month, residents aren’t allowed to sell, detonate or ignite fireworks classified as “sky rocket sticks” or “missiles with fins” through Jan. 14.
A violation of the order could result in a Class C Misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to $2,000.
READ ALSO: Watch: Illegal fireworks lit up the San Antonio skyline on New Year’s Eve
The ban didn’t stop San Antonio from lighting up the night sky with a spectacular display of fireworks to ring in 2021.
According to the SAPD, the vast majority of the fireworks calls had no complainants or refused complainants. Officers were also dispatched to patrol different locations in which no contact was made with a suspected violator.
The city also did not set up a fireworks hotline for residents to reports violators, which may have contributed to the lack of citations and warnings. Residents were advised to report illegal fireworks to SAPD’s non-emergency line. The police department would then prioritize the calls and its response “based on risk assessment and the current demand for calls.”
The previous year, SAPD yielded nearly 1,000 calls about fireworks activity, but no citations were given. In 2018, there was only one ticket written by an SAPD officer, according to the San Antonio Express-News. There were four in 2017, two in 2016 and one in 2015.
Taylor Pettaway is a breaking news and general assignment reporter for MySA.com | [email protected] | @TaylorPettaway
