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Eugene police report 89 fireworks-related calls on July 4; 35 met dispatch criteria and officers were sent to 21
Summary
Deputy Chief Burke told the Police Commission that EPD logged 89 fireworks-related calls on July 4, 35 of which met dispatch criteria; officers were dispatched to 21 incidents. Commissioners pressed staff on thresholds for response and whether an education-first approach is sufficient.
Deputy Chief Burke outlined Eugene Police Department operations over July 3'4 at the Police Commission meeting on July 9, saying the department dedicated officers to fireworks-related calls but had to prioritize other critical incidents.
Burke reported that on July 3 the department recorded 21 fireworks-related calls and responded to those calls; on July 4 the department recorded 89 fireworks-related calls. "Eighty-nine calls for service, 54 did not meet criteria, 35 met their criteria, and officers were dispatched to 21 of them," Burke said, adding that some calls could not be responded to because officers were pulled to critical incidents such as a fatal crash, a DUI rollover, an armed robbery and a significant assault.
Burke said the department did not seize fireworks during those responses and that many contacts involved asking people to put fireworks away. "Part of that was just being able to go, make sure nobody was hurt, and make sure there was no assaults," he said. He also credited staff for long shifts over the holiday weekend and said scheduling choices were intended to address fireworks while preserving officer safety for more serious incidents.
Commissioners asked how calls are counted and whether a call registers if the complainant cannot provide a specific location or suspect description. Burke and other staff said EPD's threshold for dispatching typically requires an identifiable location and a willing complainant; absent those details, some calls are classified as not meeting criteria and may not be dispatched. Commissioners worried an education-first posture could send the message of no consequences; Burke said the department uses discretion and prioritizes officer safety when deciding whether to enforce or cite.
Burke also reported a targeted traffic safety operation on June 25 focused on Highway 99, which produced about 64 traffic stops, 43 citations and 28 warnings; the department said about 80% of stops were vehicle-related and 20% addressed pedestrian or crosswalk violations.
Commissioners suggested the department might reassess tactics if education-only approaches do not reduce dangerous behavior in future years. No new enforcement directive was adopted at the meeting.
Next steps: Commissioners asked staff to provide comparative data for previous years and indicated they would discuss whether enforcement tactics or resource allocations should change in future meetings.
