In 2018’s fireworks season, the Auburn Police Department received 15 percent fewer calls for service than it logged in 2017, Kent’s PD had the largest decrease at 35 percent and Renton’s reported the largest increase at 31 percent.

Those were among the numbers Auburn Police Cmdr. Dan O’Neil presented to the Auburn City Council in the APD’s analysis of 2018’s fireworks season.

Policing Independence Day, O’Neil told the study session at Auburn City Hall, cost the APD $27,005 in staffing, which breaks out as follows:

• Twelve officers worked 78.5 hours between June 26 and July 5;

• Twenty-three officers and three sergeants covered three patrol shifts on July 4;

• Four officers and one sergeant were assigned to traffic;

• Nineteen officers and two sergeants were assigned to fireworks emphasis;

• Six officers and 1 sergeant were assigned to the discharge area near the Muckleshoot fireworks stands; and

• Six officers and one sergeant were assigned to Les Gove Park.

“We put a special emphasis on Les Gove Park because it was hit pretty hard in 2017,” O’Neil said.

Police and the Valley Regional Fire Authority responded to three major incidents in 2018. On June 3, police responded with fire and medical personnel to an 18-year-old man who had detonated an M-80 in his hand, on July 4 to a 31-year-old man who had set off a mortar in his hand, and on July 4 to a significant brush fire at the discharge area.

Despite all that activity, no officers were hurt, the stands closed about 10:30 p.m. on July 4 and all the merrymakers left “minimal debris” in city parks.

Between 11 a.m. July 4 and 8 a.m., July 5, Auburn police responded to 154 calls for service, 27 fewer calls than the 181 to which the department had responded in 2017, the latter the highest number recorded by the APD between 2014 and 2018.

In 2018’s fireworks season, the Auburn Police Department showed a 15 percent decrease in the number of calls for service, Kent had the largest decrease at 35 percent, and Renton reported the largest increase at 31 percent.

In District 1, however, the West Hill of the city, calls for service increased by 4 between 2017 and 2018.

“I would attribute the increase in calls there to the increased population. (There have been)] a lot of new housing developments there over the past year, which I think would increase our calls there,” said O’Neil.

In 2018, Auburn Police confiscated 309 separate fireworks.

Councilman Bill Peloza questioned why so many calls in Districts 2 and 6, and what could be done to better the situation.

“District 6 is where the discharge area is located, and District 2 is the largest and most populated district in the city, and so I think those factors right there, which we don’t have much control over, … are responsible for higher calls for service compared to the other districts in the city,” O’Neil said.

O’Neil said the APD’s plan for 2019 is to do a better job at advertising the City ordinance for fireworks, which it will do via social media and a press release. He said the department will continue its relationship with the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, and its emphasis in city parks.