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HPD and prosecutors outline enforcement limits on aerial fireworks, urge legal changes and port controls
Summary
Honolulu Police Department and the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney told the City Council committee on Jan. 16 that current legal definitions and evidence rules make enforcement of aerial fireworks difficult, and urged a combination of statutory fixes, port interdiction and administrative citation options.
The Honolulu Police Department and the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney told the City Council Committee on Public Safety and Customer Services on Jan. 16 that enforcing laws against aerial and commercial‑grade fireworks is currently difficult under existing legal definitions and evidentiary standards.
HPD officials, including Acting Assistant Chief (Bridal) Lynch and Major Mike Lambert, described a three‑part enforcement challenge: the volume of illegal aerial devices on Oʻahu, the logistics and safety burdens of seizing and storing explosive devices, and legal requirements that make prosecutions difficult. First Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Thomas Brady and Deputy Florence Nakakuni said definitions in the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu and citations to the U.S. Department of Transportation (49 CFR) impose technical elements — for example, proving an item contains a specified explosive charge or…
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