The Auburn Police Department fireworks-emphasis patrols leading up to July 4’s big bang should be about what they were last year.
With a few adjustments, that is, based on the number of calls received in June and July last year and hot spots the department identified in 2013, Auburn Police Chief Bob Lee told City leaders Monday.
The department’s 2013 fireworks “After-Action Report” identified three city areas with the most bang, flash and boom.
The upshot, Lee said, is that the department plans to take some patrol officers away from the Lea Hill area — which wasn’t the most active fireworks area — and deploy them in the top three hots spots, respectively: Forest Villa and the Forest Ridge Area; the stretch between 21st and 29th Street along F Street; and 8th and I Streets Northeast.
“So we’ll focus some more deterrent forces in those areas,” Lee said.
Police begin staffing for fireworks June 23, Lee explained, because that is usually the day when complaints start picking up a head of steam. Staffing should continue to bulk up until Friday, July 4, when officers are expected to work roughly 60-hour shifts.
Fireworks sales time on the Muckleshoot Reservation will be the same as last year.
The vendor’s show begins Saturday, and the Muckleshoot Casino plans a show later in June, on a day and at a time that have yet to be determined.
Discharge hours and days on the reservation are as follows: Sundays through Thursdays until 10 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays to midnight; and up to 2 a.m. after Independence Day.
Lee said what happens on July 5 and 6 has been the subject of numerous talks between tribal leaders and the City. There will be stand sales on those days, but no discharge on the reservation.
“Last year, the tribe’s assigned security officers didn’t show up to work on the 5th, which is really when many of the calls started coming in from people getting weary of fireworks,” Lee explained.
