Seaside police, fire lay out 4th of July enforcement plan including drones, hot‑spot patrols and park closures

Seaside police and fire officials presented a coordinated operational plan on June 5 to reduce injuries, property damage and illegal fireworks activity during the July 4 period.

The plan pairs enforcement teams with public education, portable message boards and social media, and adds drones to identify “hot spots,” Commander Justin Pasconi of the Seaside Police Department told the council. “We have a zero tolerance policy for illegal fireworks,” Pasconi said, and the department will use two dedicated enforcement teams that include patrol officers and a combined police‑fire drone unit.

The plan’s nut graf: it aims to reduce illegal fireworks and related fires by combining enforcement, faster response and targeted public outreach rather than relying on a single tactic. Fire Chief Paul Blaha and Pasconi said the city will also work with CAL FIRE to take possession of confiscated fireworks and with community partners to push safety messaging.

Key elements: - Enforcement: Two dedicated enforcement teams with patrol officers, administrative and criminal citations and arrests when warranted. Officers will use body‑worn cameras while patrolling hot spots. Pasconi said the department will pursue administrative citations and criminal charges “along with arrests when necessary.” - Drones and analytics: Drones will be used to locate hot spots; Flock Safety analytics will identify recurring areas of illegal activity so patrols and outreach can be directed there. - Park closures and site changes: Staff recommended closing portions of Laguna Grande Park—including the barbecue area and grass across from City Hall up to the playground—because of repeated small fires and discarded fireworks around trash receptacles, Blaha told the council. - Public education: The city will run PSAs, portable sign boards and targeted outreach beginning in mid‑June. TNT (a private outreach partner) will distribute materials at schools and via other channels; staff will ask TNT for proof of distribution. - Operations and support: A mobile command vehicle will be positioned at Home Depot during the holiday; an extra engine company will be staffed; and hotline phones will be expanded for incoming calls on July 4.

Council and staff stressed enforcement will be paired with outreach. Mayor Pro Tem Pacheco and other members asked that outreach materials be in English and Spanish and that the city ensure TNT fulfills commitments to distribute materials to schools. The city attorney described a refined collections process for unpaid citations that includes referrals to the Franchise Tax Board for persistent non‑payers.

Council action and next steps Council did not adopt new ordinances but gave staff direction to proceed quickly: the council asked staff to implement the recommended limited Laguna Grande Park closures, with the city manager directed to set the exact timing and barricade plan so the closures can take effect before July 4. Staff said closures would be an augmentation of existing park curfews—e.g., an earlier closure hour near sunset if approved.

Why it matters: Each July the city fields hundreds of calls about fireworks and occasional fires; officials said the combined enforcement/outreach approach and the use of drones and analytics aim to reduce calls for service, improve public safety and increase the chance citations are collected.

What to watch: staff said updated outreach (PSAs, social posts and school communication) will ramp up around June 17 and council will be notified of operational messages and patrol deployments.

Ending: The city emphasized safety and indicated it will seize and dispose of illegal fireworks; CAL FIRE will take possession of confiscated devices. Commander Pasconi and Chief Blaha said the priority remains preventing injuries and property loss while educating residents about safe, legal alternatives.