Lakewood Urges Residents To Help Pinpoint Illegal Fireworks With Online Mapping
LAKEWOOD, Colo. (CBS4) - People around the country have been hearing the bangs and pops of July 4th long before the holiday. Illegal fireworks use has increased nationwide.
The City of Lakewood is encouraging residents to report illegal firework sightings through its online fireworks map.
To use the map, residents create a username and drop a pin on the area they saw or heard fireworks. The address of the pin will not be visible, but the username created will be. If a resident doesn't want to be identified, they can enter their username as "anonymous."
By dropping a pin, they help the city compile data on where illegal fireworks are being used for future enforcement efforts.
"This is not a reporting mechanism the police are always looking at. It helps LPD have directed controls in areas where we see pins and complaints," explained Stacie Oulton with the City of Lakewood.
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The map helps Lakewood police plan patrol areas for the next year. They're basing their current fireworks patrol off of last year's results, and the hotspots are similar to those recorded this year.
"We get a lot of complaints in northeast and southeast Lakewood and in Green Mountain," said Oulton.
There are 200 pins on the map so far.
The map also alleviates the dispatchers, keeps 911 telephone lines clear for life-threatening emergencies.
"We really encourage people not to report illegal fireworks to 911 unless there's a fire or injury. We don't have the resources to get out there quick enough," said Oulton.
Fireworks are illegal in Lakewood and fines can reach up to $2,650. To report fireworks in your neighborhood, resident can call the police non-emergency number at 303-980-7300.
