Zero Tolerance, Citations, Confiscation for Fireworks

Zero Tolerance, Citations, Confiscation–

Those four words pretty well sum up the attitude of the Lamar Police Department and Prowers County Sheriff’s Department regarding private use of any kind of fireworks in the city for the approaching holiday.

As of last Thursday, June 28,  Wal-Mart, the only retail store in the area that usually carried sparklers or fountains, pulled all their fireworks packages off the shelves in light of the Governor’s ban on open burning and firework displays.  A statewide burn ban has been enacted by Governor Hickenlooper and in light of the heat and dry conditions across the local area; Prowers County Sheriff Jim Faull announced he had decided to postpone the public displays in Lamar and Granada to a later, safer date.  Faull said he was glad that Wal-Mart had discontinued sales, stating, “That will make things easier for all concerned.”   He added,

“I’ve been in conversation about the ban with Police Chief McCrea and we’re all in accord with this.  I’m going to look at the situation Monday and Tuesday to see if any are being fired off, but we will also enact a zero tolerance policy.”  Both departments only have so many cars available for patrol, but both law enforcement agencies will be fully staffed for the holiday.

“We used to give some residents a little leeway, but because of the heat, the dry spell, the Governor’s and county’s bans, that won’t happen this year,” according to Lamar Police Chief Gary McCrea.  He said that people caught shooting off any kind of firework can expect to receive an on-the-spot citation to appear in court, and have any fireworks found at the scene confiscated.  “It’s just not worth it,” he added.

On another matter, Chief McCrea asked for anyone with information pertaining to various acts of vandalism in Willow Creek last week, to contact the LPD.  “Some houses and mailboxes were targeted,” he said.  The police department got a two day visit from dog instructors at Ironheart Training Center out of Shawnee, Kansas.  He said trainers were in Lamar and in Kiowa County in preparation for the latest K9 to be added to the police force in Lamar.

By Russ Baldwin