Colorado Springs police get overwhelming number of calls for fireworks

COLORADO SPRINGS (KRDO)--The Colorado Springs Police Department got so many calls for fireworks complaints on Sunday that officers were only able to respond to less than half of them.

Fireworks are illegal in the Colorado Springs city limits, and CSPD deployed five sets of two-officer units dedicated to July 4 firework complaints. Between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Sunday, CSPD says it received 225 calls for service related to firework complaints. Of those 225 calls, officers were able to respond to 96.

CSPD says there were numerous community members who were contacted about fireworks safety by officers who were busy on other calls.

CSPD handed out 12 citations for firework infractions. The police department says it seized a large number of unused fireworks for destruction.

"We understand that every year many community members call in with concerns. We are out every year enforcing these laws and helping spread safety education, but we need our community to comply with our city's laws," said CSPD Public Communications Specialist Natashia Kerr. "This specialized Fourth of July firework detail was also in addition to all the other calls coming into the communications center."