Not many citations issued for illegal fireworks

COEUR d'ALENE - Yes, they're illegal but as far as breaking the law, it falls low on the enforcement totem pole.

Local police agencies are gearing up for a busy Fourth of July today, but as far as writing citations for illegal fireworks infractions, well, that's more fizzle than sizzle. Turns out, officers generally have too much on their plate to chase down every fireworks call.

"It doesn't mean we won't enforce the ordinance, it's just we will when we can," said Coeur d'Alene Police Sgt. Christie Wood, "So we're really hoping citizens help us on this."

Which is to say that citizens play by the rules: Stick to "safe and sane" fireworks and light them on private property.

Last year from 6 a.m. July 4 to 6 a.m. July 5, Coeur d'Alene officers responded to 256 calls. It only resulted in two citations for fireworks.

"So we're pretty slammed on the Fourth," Wood said. "Most of the time we're just responding to constant service calls."

The Kootenai County Sheriffs Office didn't issue any illegal fireworks citations last year, and haven't issued any yet this year. Nor do they plan to, said KCSO Lt. Stu Miller. The office is tied up with calls over the Fourth as well, so deputies focus on educating people who light them, not citing them.

The most common complaints forwarded to the Coeur d'Alene Police Department during the Fourth of July celebration are the noise levels of the fireworks and fireworks aimed at and landing on the roof of a residence, the office said. Any violation of the Municipal Fireworks Code is a misdemeanor public offense, punishable by a fine not to exceed $300.

Safe and sane fireworks are legal in Coeur d'Alene June 25 to July 5. They don't fly or explode. But if you throw them, that makes them illegal, too. As for the big boomers that can be purchased on the reservation, they're illegal outside incorporated cities in Kootenai County as well, and simply possessing them is citation worthy.

But the statistics - and policing priorities - say that citations rarely happen.

And, some locals say, it's just as well. Celebrating the Fourth with fireworks, even the big kind, is a staple of Independence Day, rules be darned.

"That's not going to stop me," said Ryan Fox, a Coeur d'Alene resident buying fireworks on the Coeur d'Alene Tribe Reservation Wednesday, on lighting them inside city limits, ordinance or no. He plans to take them out to Montana to shoot, but he wouldn't be opposed to lighting them inside city limits if that's what the plan called for.

"If I wanted to shoot them off, I would," he said.