Bexley council debates moving fireworks to July 3 as police warn mutual aid may be limited
Loading...
Summary
Council discussed shifting main fireworks to the evening of July 3 to reduce heat exposure the next morning; Police Chief said officers would be required to staff both events and that prior mutual-aid requests this year were not met, prompting an internal crowd-control response plan.
BEXLEY — Councilmembers and staff discussed whether to shift Bexley’s fireworks and pre‑fireworks festivities to the evening of July 3, with the parade on July 4 moved later in the morning to ease scheduling and family impacts. The conversation weighed heat concerns for morning events against crowd management and mutual-aid availability.
A councilmember asked the police chief whether moving the fireworks and parade would require officers to work both shifts. The chief said, "Yes, ma'am," and later acknowledged that when the department previously requested mutual aid it was not met: "When we did put that call out for resources, it wasn't met. And I think that was a part of the decision... so we have to manage and mitigate on our own." He described training changes and a crowd-control tactic called Mobile Field Force that uses bicycle patrols and maneuvering to move crowds toward designated areas.
Councilmembers expressed willingness to adjust scheduling if it improved safety and reduced strain on families. One councilmember said as a parent she preferred a later parade start to avoid waking children after late-night fireworks. The chief noted that officer shortages and regional demand mean the department is planning to manage events internally while building capacity for larger crowd-control operations.
No formal action or ordinance was taken on fireworks scheduling at the meeting; the matter was discussed as part of department updates and event planning.
