Columbia police crack down on illegal firework use

Police say they have been cracking down on illegal firework use this holiday week since fireworks are illegal within Columbia city limits.

ABC 17 News rode along with police on a fireworks patrol.

Officers Clint Sinclair and Chad Reynolds with the Columbia Police Department already had a list of addresses to check at the beginning of their shift.

“There’s probably a dozen calls waiting for us to respond to, just complaints all over the city about fireworks,” Sinclair said.

Fireworks stands are set up throughout Boone County because it’s illegal to even possess fireworks within Columbia city limits.

This is something officers say most people don’t realize.

At the first stop, ABC 17 News saw fireworks going off.

Officers issued a warning and then confiscated the remaining fireworks.

Most of the fireworks were small, but Sinclair told ABC 17 News some fireworks pose more of a threat.

“Last night, we had a call about fireworks getting shot at houses and at vehicles and sometimes even at people,” he said. “Those are the real problem.”

The second stop was at a house that had multiple complaints called in against it.

At this stop, no one wanted to claim responsibility for shooting off the fireworks.

Again, police gave everyone in the group a warning but said there would be consequences if it happened again.

Columbia police remind residents if they shoot fireworks, they must be outside city limits.