HOLLISTER, CALIFORNIA – July 9, 2024 – Hollister Police personnel responded to several firework related calls over the busy holiday weekend.
On the Fourth of July and the holiday weekend, Hollister Police Officers, Code Enforcement Officers and Animal Control Officers participated in a concentrated effort to locate illegal fireworks and issue citations to those residents and visitors who were lighting them. The Hollister Municipal Code states that each violation of the code will involve a $1,000 fine.
Each night, several additional personnel from each of our divisions worked shifts in unmarked police cars to patrol the city and respond to calls. For safety reasons, we placed 2 officers in each car. We also provided a police sergeant who supervised the personnel involved in the mission.
For the period from July 4th to July 7th, there were 601 generated incidents documented in our Santa Cruz Regional 9-1-1 Dispatch CAD system. Among those calls for service and police activities, our team received over 78 calls reporting illegal fireworks. The fireworks team cited 33 individuals for possessing, lighting or facilitating the use of illegal fireworks. Our police arial drone was piloted by one of our licensed pilot officers and accounted for four of those fireworks violators being cited. Some of the difficulties encountered by our teams were violators using lookouts and launching illegal fireworks from back yards.
During the same time, the patrol team made 161 traffic stops and made 22 arrests. Seven of those arrests were for DUI, and 95 traffic misdemeanor/infraction citations were issued.
Illegal fireworks are an ongoing problem in our city. This year, once again, they have led to suspicious fires, damaged city property and the displacement of residents from their homes, when an illegal firework was allegedly purposely ignited inside the downstairs vacant apartment.
We heard from so many residents with legitimate complaints about the aerial bombardment, the excessive noise & dangerous explosions. The department wants to thank all our residents who celebrated in a safe & sane manner.
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Prepared by: E. Olson, Captain
Approved by: C. Reynoso, Chief
