KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
During a service call in Saugus, a patrol car was surrounded by a couple dozen hostile, intoxicated party-goers who threatened law enforcement officials there to confiscate illegal fireworks.
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Later that same evening, a woman under the influence had to be restrained and, ultimately, was arrested for attacking a sergeant, while he and another deputy were talking with party-goers.
Click here to watch the captain’s comments to City Council, which begin at the 56-minute mark.
Needless to say, the combination of booze and backyard explosives July 4th made for unique policing and public safety challenges in Santa Clarita, and sometimes diffusing those situations safely can take time.
The numbers indicated eight citations for illegal fireworks had been handed out, which led to concern, city officials said, which was why Santa Clarita’s “chief of police” — a de facto title for the leader of the Sheriff’s Station — was invited to answer questions in front of Santa Clarita City Council this week.
“Certainly, what we saw ourselves, it certainly seems that there was a strong proliferation of the illegal fireworks,” said Santa Clarita Mayor Cameron Smyth form the dais, “again not the Piccolo Petes and the ‘fountainworks’ that we all grew up with.”
Santa Clarita Sheriff’s Station Capt. Robert Lewis addressed questions and challenges during 4th of July fireworks-suppression operations in the five-day stretch leading up to and including the 4th, at the beginning of Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
Lewis worked and patrolled from Friday, June 30 to Tuesday, July 4, and shared some of the stories in response to a City Council request for information about public safety and law enforcement measures.
In addition to personally joining in patrols, the captain, a Santa Clarita resident who was brought back to the Santa Clarita Valley to run the Sheriff’s Station in April, discussed his encounters while on patrol, which were not unique to his experience, as well as the measure the Sheriff’s Department had taken, and some of the results.
Law enforcement resources were essentially doubled on the 4th of July, with deputies confiscating about 50 pounds of fireworks, Lewis told the council. The illicit explosives were handed over to the Fire Department for destruction.
The 179 calls for service represented a decline from the 289 the previous year, and City Councilman Bill Miranda noted the decline likely was due in part to the proactive efforts deputies made.
One of the frustrations experienced by residents and law enforcement officials was an overwhelming of the station’s phone lines, as hundreds of calls overloaded a system with four outdated phones lines, he said.
“Don’t let the fact that we’re concerned take away from the great job you guys did this weekend,” Miranda said. “The (no fireworks) signs were all over town, there’s been a good improvement.”
Lewis noted that part of his “predictive policing” efforts involved looking at problem areas from the past two years.
“I asked the CPU deputies to evaluate calls for service from 2015 and 2016 to identify annual problem areas for illegal fireworks,” Lewis said. “After identifying those locations, the CPU conducted outreach with those residents.”
There were also practical challenges, he said, noting that while he was patrolling one area on two separate occasions it became almost impossible to identify exactly which backyard the fireworks were coming from — in addition to the fact that a law enforcement official must either see a misdemeanor in progress in order to cite for a misdemeanor offense, or have a citizen willing to make a citizen’s arrest and file a report as a “victim” of the fireworks.
This was a significant challenge on the 4th of July for a number of reasons, Lewis explained, with the aforementioned examples of misbehavior just a sampling of what deputies were up against.
To that end, Lewis repeated his calls to the community for cooperation with the public they aim to serve, and appreciated a “united front” in Santa Clarita, with support from the city and the public.
Lewis also reminded the audience this was his first year as captain, and he was gaining information that would be used going forward to adjust the response.
“Now that I’ve seen some of the challenges,” Lewis said, “we will meet with Sheriff’s (Department) personnel and city personnel in order to review operations,” Lewis said, “and make necessary adjustments for next year.”
This year, in my area, there were more big fireworks going on than EVER! Also, more gunshots!! It was crazy, like the Wild West! Basically, I didn’t see any police at all! I don’t believe they are cracking down on it, either. I mean– it is what it is!! SO MANY gunshots!!! SO many fireworks, and I’m talking about professional grade–not ‘safe and sane’ varieties. Every year, to me, it seems there are less cops trying to crack down on this, and it’s way outta hand now!!! Seems like the police are somewhere else!! They’d better get a handle on this! People are going to get seriously hurt, or killed, and it’s too bad that has to happen before more is done! Frankly, it’s scary, and I’m sick of it!
That’s scary. I bet if you contact the Deputy that is assigned to your zone he would take care of it by the next 4th of July. If you don’t get involved, it’s impossible for the patrol Deputies to be everywhere at once. Like Capt Lewis said, identifying the problem areas ahead of time makes it easier to saturate that area.
I agree that the fireworks were out of control this year. They are a lot of the M80’s. I don’t see how the sheriffs could have done any more then they did ,I counted 30 homes in one area, the sheriffs can’t be every where. I think they did the best they could, they do need more help. Crossglade shoots off fireworks every night, it goes on for at least 6 months, but no one can seem to catch them. My poor dogs won’t go out when it starts to get dark. I hope you can help us!
The 4th out here is out of control because of the ILLEGAL fireworks, and my dog is absolutely terrified before and after the holiday. Thankfully, in my neighborhood its minimal, but we can hear them from across tha valley, and I can see them coming from neighborhoods where they do not in any way belong. Maybe you need a volunteer force to patrol neighborhood to assist our very busy officers who I understand cannot possibly handle all the action.
Looking forward to more crack down and less crackle, boom, pops.
The one thing I can’t help noticing that is missing from all the discussions about the illegal fireworks is the extreme wildfire danger. With all the fires we had this year, and all the crisp dry brush, we were lucky no fires were started.There seems to be a pervasive attitude growing everywhere of I – can – do – whatever -I – want and no one should stop me. Patriotism and freedom is NOT about belligerence, inconsideration, and selfishness. I wish we did not need to have laws and police to regulate social behaviors, but judging by results, we do. Perhaps a more aggressive and visible campaign letting the public know fireworks ARE illegal, there really ARE penalties and explosive incendiaries ARE hurtful to others (keeping those who are ill or need sleep awake, terrorizing the sound-sensitive, pets and wildlife, and endangering everyone with by potentially starting devastating fires) as well as dangerous to the children and adults using or near to them. There are plenty of superior and safe fireworks displays offered for free. There is no excuse for individules to break these laws. But so long as people think they can and there are no consequences, nothing is likely to change.
This will never stop. Just make a designated LEGAL area where people can go and set off all their crap. Make it no alcohol allowed. Legalize small things like sparklers and sell those around town. This is supposed to be a celebration of our independence! My neighbors were gone that night and had their dog in their backyard. That was just stupid. If you are going to own a pet on the 4th of July then put it inside your house. People will keep setting them off, so just make a safe legal area for them to do so and calm down with the excessive smack down police force.
That’s too bad about your neighbors’ dog being left outside while they were gone. That’s just plain horrendous. Sal’s dogs too, suffered because people can’t follow the law and go see fireworks that
are legal. The point about starting a fire is important. This is a very dangerous time for fires.
All citizens have to be vigilant and keep watch in their own neighborhoods.
Gerald Newbold (see above) is right. Let your zone leader know what the deal is. It worked wonders for us this year. Deputy Chris Craft (Saugus zone leader) is apparently a man of his word. Also appreciating the new Captain and mayor’s attitudes and stance on this matter.