HomeMy WebLinkAboutMemo - Mail Packet - 7/25/2017 - Information From Darin Atteberry Re: Memorandum From Kevin Cronin Re: 2017 Fireworks ReportFort Collins Police Services
2221 S. Timberline Road
PO Box 580
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.221.6540
970.416.2980 - fax
Date: July 11, 2017
To: Terry Jones, Chief of Police
From: Kevin Cronin, Assistant Chief
RE: 2017 Fireworks Report
For the seventh year in a row, a multi-agency committee addressed citizen complaints of illegal
fireworks during the 4
th
of July holiday season. Partner agencies included Poudre Fire Authority,
Neighborhood Services, the Larimer Humane Society, and Police Services. The committee
leveraged resources to provide education, community engagement, and enforcement in an
effort to reduce complaints of illegal fireworks. This year, 10 strategies were deployed to
achieve this goal.
1. FCPS officers paired with PFA personnel for city-wide fireworks enforcement/education
June 29
th
through July 6
th
.
2. Safety posters and educational materials were distributed and displayed in various
locations, venues, and newsletters throughout the community.
3. Yard signs were created, and each contributing service area provided the yard signs free
of charge to citizens.
4. The FCPS NET team distributed fliers and yard signs to apartment complexes and
neighborhoods with historically high-frequency complaints for fireworks.
5. Press releases were distributed to increase awareness about fireworks issues and
enforcement.
6. Committee members’ service areas made a heavy presence on multiple social media
platforms.
7. Fireworks information and enforcement protocols were distributed to and discussed
with Neighborhood Services, Larimer Humane Society, PFA, and FCPS personnel.
8. FCPS officers were encouraged through a protocol to locate the source of illegal
fireworks and when reasonable and probable cause existed, cite the person(s).
9. 1-2 officers were assigned in police vehicles during high-frequency nights for the specific
purpose of investigating complaints of illegal fireworks.
10. Digital road signs were deployed to the City/County lines where fireworks are sold. The
message informed citizens that possession of any firework is illegal in the City.
Citizen complaints dropped this year. An analysis of this decline appears to be attributed to the
concerted efforts on social media websites and the digital road signs. These two specific
resources were in response to last year’s improvement feedback. Table I shows the number of
citizen complaints since 2011.
July 20, 2017
TO: Mayor & City Councilmembers
FROM: Darin Atteberry
FYI /sek
Table I- Number of Citizen Complaints
When comparing each year in Table I, the next lowest year from 2017 is 2012. It was during this
year (2012) when Fort Collins experienced a number of wildland fires, some of which could be
seen from city limits. In addition, last year citizens brought concerns to Council, Municipal
Court, and Police Services about their confusion of legal versus illegal fireworks in the City.
Citizens reported they thought they were complying with the law, as they saw a sign at
fireworks stands (which they believed to be in the City) describing the fireworks as legal Larimer
County fireworks. When talking with police, these citizens learned the fireworks stands were
situated in the county within close proximity to city limits.
Citizens stated that they felt frustrated and misled about their decision to purchase fireworks
because of the sign they read and did not know specifically where the city limits started or
ended when it came to locations to purchase fireworks. This year’s committee answered that
need and deployed digital road signs to targeted locations. The signs informed passing
motorists, pedestrians, and cyclists that any firework was illegal inside city limits. Within a
couple of hours of activation, Neighborhood Services received several calls inquiring about the
signs. It was evident that this recommendation met its objective (properly educate and inform
our citizens). The committee did begin some dialogue with County officials to ensure the digital
signs would meet the needs of the City and the County. This dialogue was positive and led to a
proposed 2018 recommendation.
Only 6 summonses were issued this year. Officers reported positive interactions with citizens
and a noticeable difference in call load regarding fireworks. Officers experienced the same
challenges as previous years - investigating ambiguous locations of a boom or pop, and no
probable cause (observing a person igniting a firework).
285
445
389
313 308
99
478
0
200
400
600
2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
Number of Complaints
Table II- Number of summons issues for illegal fireworks
The common trend observed in this ongoing project is the Number of Calls Received by Date.
Each year, the illegal fireworks complaints peak toward the evening of July 4
th
and then start to
drop. Most complaints are for issues like an errant bottle rocket or audible boom with no
known location. Lastly, calls on the night of the 4
th
of July start to increase as scheduled, public
legal fireworks displays are occurring. Public fireworks displays could be seen and heard in Fort
Collins from surrounding communities and events. Two examples of legal fireworks displays
include shows from The Town of Timnath and the Fort Collins Country Club.
Table III Number of calls by date
Date # of Complaints
29-Jun 2
30-Jun 4
1-Jul 20
2-Jul 17
3-Jul 43
4-Jul 168
5-Jul 24
6-Jul 7
6
32
5 7
30
8 7
0
10
20
30
40
2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011
Number of Citations
1% 1%
7%
6%
15%
59%
8%
3%
2017 - Number of Calls by Date
29-Jun
30-Jun
1-Jul
2-Jul
3-Jul
4-Jul
5-Jul
6-Jul
The committee made efforts to put resources in policing districts that showed a historical trend
of high complaints of fireworks. For example, fireworks complaints in and around City Park
were experienced in the past. Police provided written reminders about illegal fireworks and
made notice that enforcement would occur in and around City Park. Officers reported a lower
number of complaints by citizens celebrating at or near City Park.
The 2017 complaints show some similar percentages to the previous year’s data. The
committee will use this information to strategize for next year’s deployment and help pinpoint
further enforcement efforts.
Table IV Fireworks complaints by policing beat (or district)
The committee implemented all three new recommendations from last year’s lessons. These
recommendations included leveraging the Public Relations Manager from Police Services,
increasing the amount of free yard signs that focused on pets and military veterans, and
deploying digital road signs to inform citizens that all fireworks are illegal in the City. The
committee saw these three recommendations as integral to this year’s success. The
recommendation with the most impact appears to be the use of social media. Service areas saw
many responses from citizens on various social media sites.
The following two recommendations will be considered to be added at next year’s committee
meetings:
Add a partner from Larimer County government
Drill down more specific geographic areas and implement proactive and enforcement
action in those policing districts.
P1
1%
P2
11%
P3
20%
P4
13%
P5
12%
P6
8%
P7
13%
P8
9%
P9
3%
P10
10%
Count of Events by Beat