“They told us, ‘We heard two loud booms from the parking garage and saw a shadow of a person running in the area,'” Deputy Chief Eric Herzog said. “Obviously that would get our attention right away.”
The police and fire departments had also seized nearly 10,000 pounds of fireworks total and arrested eight people since Memorial Day weekend.
Here’s a list of fireworks shows happening in Long Beach and neighboring cities.
“We are telling people to celebrate safely, and they can do it without fireworks,” Lee said. “We are also saying, if you need fireworks as part of your celebration, go to a professional show.”
A group of council members headed by 3rd District Councilwoman Suzie Price are aiming to fortify the city’s abilities to crack down on illegal fireworks, potentially allowing video and photo evidence to work against offenders.
Councilmember Al Austin will introduce a unique agenda item at this week’s City Council meeting: he will ask the City Clerk to place an advisory question on the upcoming citywide election ballot asking Long Beach voters, “Should the City of Long Beach allow the sale, use and possession of state approved fireworks within the city limits?”
Recently compiled police information about the recent 4th of July show that no violent crime occurred during the holiday, however, there was a slight increase in the number of privately deployed fireworks heard throughout the city.
As residents get a head start on the July 4th holiday and set off illegal fireworks heard around the city, Long Beach Police Department is cracking down on the practice early in the hopes of discouraging others from purchasing or making their own explosive devices.
