Cops Don't Want You to Have Fun With Fireworks

Flickr user dietrich

It's a delicate dance that happens every year. The cops crack down on the city's firework vendors. New Yorkers drive to Pennsylvania to buy their Independence Day supplies. And neighborhoods band together to cover during the celebration, because Gee, Officer that firework could have come from any roof on this whole block. But the NYPD is trying even harder this year to pit neighbor against neighbor to find the city's worst offenders.

Staten Island Police are urging anyone with knowledge about the sale or storage of fireworks to call the NYPD Fireworks Hotline at 718-667-2219 or e-mail sifireworkshotline@gmail.com. Last year, the tip lines were responsible for over 200 confiscations. Staten Island's Assistant Chief Stephen Paragallo said, "Your call will help ensure the Fourth of July will be a day we can safely celebrate the birthday of our nation."

Both New York and New Jersey ban all consumer fireworks, while Pennsylvania and Connecticut allow some "novelty" fireworks to be sold without a permit. On the Fourth of July, cops are apparently planning a fireworks blitz that will include uniformed and undercover cops, helicopters, unmarked vehicles and "spotters" assigned to notoriously troublesome locations. Seriously, guys, fireworks can be really dangerous.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jaya Saxena in News on June 19, 2010 2:20 PM

Comments [rss]

Gwinny

Sure, but if you try to call your local precinct because some idiots are setting off fireworks in front of your living room window, they redirect to you 311 (i.e. maybe a response in a few hours if you're lucky!).

NewarkStateOfMind

Sparklers are illegal, too? That's nuts.

ANGRYGOD11

When I was a kid we bought fireworks from some guy with a van. We were idiots and it's a miracle nobody ended up in the hospital with missing fingers or charred eyeballs.

r1b2

Snitches get stitches, unless we're talking about some goombas shooting off rockets, because if you rat them out they'll break your frickin' legs, you mook!

Yahtzee

I didn't know staten island had it's own police force? another banger from jaya.

Meat Cat

You are familiar with police precincts, yes?

ocm123

Staten Island has three precincts. I'm not really sure what Jaya is referring to in this article. The only thing I can think of is that maybe she is referencing the Staten Island Borough Task Force?

pete

snitches get stitches

potsmoker

and dont forget if your going to go through all the trouble of driving to another state to pick up fireworks, check the laws and buy some guns and ammo, they will be worth more than gold in the future have-havenot society that gloomberg envisions.

potsmoker

awesome, the police state is here.

if you think about it,,,calling your most hated enemy or just about anyone picked out of the phone book would cause

a frantic and unreasonable searches, suspicion, repeated visits, knocks on all hours,

requests to "just look around you dont have anything to hide right?..." type drama that will play out and get more annoying the closer it gets to July4th.

Annoying neighbor?

Noisy Kids,

Dog Poop on your lawn?

Tired of muslims trying to open a mosque on your block?

well they are urging anyone with knowledge about the sale or storage of fireworks to call the NYPD Fireworks Hotline.

dont forget to call from the payphone on the corner or use a free mail account only created from am internet kiosk.

(never create it or check it from home or work, kids)

LET THE FUN BEGIN.

on a side note,

"Last year, the tip lines were responsible for over 200 confiscations"

well well there you go, if the cops knock on your door,

dont open it, dont let thim in.

hahhaa

but really folks theres at least 200 people in staten island right now who now hate their SNITCH A$$ b1tch neighbors ruining all the fun.

John L

So everyone just go up to your roof and just empty out your glocks on the Fourth of July to celebrate our Independence and the birth of this great "free" country.

God Bless America!

gawkthis

fireworks is bad, mkay?

especially if the city isn't getting its cut of the sale.

Kojak

Most of the videos in that Youtube link show what your NOT supposed to do with fireworks. Fireworks aren't as dangerous when used correctly and safely. I say whoever decides to handhold a roman candle deserves to get their ass burned.

This is why we can't have nice things.