Dallas police cracking down on shooting fireworks, firearms for July 4th
DALLAS - The city of Dallas is cracking down on illegal activities including fireworks, drunken driving and illegal firearms discharges prior to the Fourth of July.
The department would like to remind people that fireworks are illegal to both possess and use within Dallas city limits. People found to be in violation of the statue could be fined up to $2,000.
Illegally discharging a firearm within city limits can lead to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine. Police say that in some cases it could be considered “deadly conduct” which carries a fine of $10,000 and two to 10 years in prison.
DPD has also been in the midst of a no-refusal DWI initiative which started on June 28 and carries on through midnight on July 15. During this period DPD officers will be able to secure search warrants for all people who refuse to give a breath or blood sample during a traffic stop.
Last Fourth of July, DPD received nearly 500 calls about fireworks and random gunfire. It also confiscated 195.4 pounds of fireworks on that day. Those numbers were down from 2016 when the department received more than 2,000 reports of fireworks and 380 reports of gunfire.
Meanwhile, in Fort Worth, officials are asking people not to call 911 to report illegal fireworks. Instead, the city has set up a non-emergency hotline. Tipsters can call 817-392-4444 and the city will have volunteers answering calls and questions.