Pasadena Chief Prosecutor Michael Dowd pointed out during a press conference Thursday that since 2018, the City has implemented one of the strictest anti-fireworks laws in the state. Under the city’s ordinance, fireworks violations can also be dealt with by administrative citations, too, rather than only criminally, giving the city more options.
‘This includes going after not only the people who are setting off the fireworks, but going after the people who are allowing fireworks on their property,” he said.
The city can hold “property owners and tenants responsible for permitting the possession, sale, usage or discharge of fireworks on their property,” according to a city statement. “The ordinance change allows for the prosecution of fireworks-related offenses and for the demand of payment for all costs associated with the safe disposal of confiscated fireworks.”
Maximum penalties include a year in jail and fines of up to $50,000.
Since the law has been in place, the City has issued more than 175 citations, seized more than 650 pounds of fireworks, and collected more than $40,000 in fines, Dowd said.
“The fact is that this city takes this very seriously,” he said. “Especially in these drought conditions, and the fire conditions that we are experiencing. This ordinance will be strictly enforced. Anyone who in fact, is in possession, uses or discharges a firework, or has that done on their property, will be held accountable.”
But those busted under the new ordinance won’t end up with criminal records, Pasadena Fire Dept. Battalion Chief Wendell Eaton explained in an interview shortly after the ordinance went into effect.
“It decriminalizes the act, so people aren’t getting a criminal record for playing with fireworks,” he said. “But we still want to stop it. We want to get their attention, we want to hold them accountable for this illegal activity.”
Officials are hoping to get the cooperation of property owners to prevent injuries and damage from fireworks, he said.
“If you’re a property owner, a landlord, there’s a certain responsibility that you have to make sure that your tenants are operating within the law,” the chief said.
At the same time, he added, “Our intent is to be reasonable. And we’re looking for first and foremost the violators and those that are either knowingly participating or should know. Obviously, folks that aren’t at the location are going to have a difficult time knowing that’s occurring, but we are going to communicate with them.”
Police said they “want a zero tolerance to be in place, but also want people to be smart so nobody gets hurt.”
Officials have also come across other crimes while out looking for fireworks, a police department spokesperson said.
Once, while officers were out working a recent firework detail “came across domestic violence in progress, and the guy had a handgun.”
Pasadena takes fireworks safety especially seriously, a department spokesperson has said.
“No fireworks are okay, no sparklers, none of that. This is a year when we need to ask the public to have some personal responsibility, to follow the rules of law, to follow guidelines, and follow safety,” Interim Chief of Policer Jason Clawson said Thursday.
Clawson pointed out that the city is staging its own AmericaFest fireworks show at the Rose Bowl July 4 and recommended that families attend that event instead of lighting fireworks at home.
“That fireworks show is permitted,” he said, “It’s staffed by professionals, and there are a lot of safety mechanisms in place to prevent accidents from occurring.”
“Don’t allow your kids,” Clawson added, “don’t allow your neighbors to operate fireworks, because it’s not a safe environment and it’s very unpredictable.”
Clawson also noted that the police department would be doing “prevention, intervention, and enforcement,” but said, “We don’t want to do enforcement, we want [people] to utilize personal responsibility.”
But if you do use fireworks, ‘We will come after you. We will issue citations. You may face felony charges.”
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