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Thornton moves to tighten fireworks enforcement, allow property-owner citations
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Summary
Council approved on first reading an ordinance that moves the fireworks code, lengthens the repeat-offense window and allows citing property owners (with probable cause) to close enforcement gaps; police outlined an education and overtime enforcement plan for July.
Thornton City Council on first reading adopted changes to the city's fireworks ordinance designed to make enforcement more practical and effective.
Deputy Police Chief Paul Hawkins presented amendments that move the rule to chapter 38 of the municipal code, extend the mandatory-minimum penalty period for a second offense from 12 months to two years, and — the largest change — allow officers to cite property owners (when probable cause links the property to the discharge) rather than only an individual identified lighting fireworks.
Hawkins told council the change is intended to close an enforcement loophole that now makes it difficult to summon suspects after large, multi-household Fourth of July gatherings. He said the department received more than 500 fireworks complaints across the July 4 period last year and that many complaints are anonymous, which hinders prosecution.
The department plans an education effort with mobile message boards and public-service announcements through June, and will post overtime enforcement shifts two weeks before and two weeks after July 4, plus targeted enforcement on problematic blocks on the holiday. "This will close the loophole and make it easier to actually summon somebody," Hawkins said.
During council discussion speakers praised the change as a reasonable enforcement tool and thanked staff for the work of drafting the ordinance. Councilmember Russell introduced the ordinance on first reading and the measure passed on first reading unanimously.
Next steps: staff will finalize ordinance language for second reading and continue public outreach and training for patrol staff before the holiday period.
