Bay Area police have arrested dozens of people for illegal fireworks over the Fourth of July holiday.

The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office says it took seven people into custody and confiscated 325 pounds of fireworks.

Over on the Peninsula, the San Bruno Police Department arrested at least six people and confiscated 300 pounds of fireworks.

In Pacifica, 11 citations were issued with a $1,000 fine each.

In Gilroy, over 60 citations were issued for illegal fireworks. Eighteen of those were criminal citations.

Union City had just under 100 calls to service. Of those, 18 citations were issued but no arrests.

Officers confiscated enough to fill a 55-gallon barrel in Union City.

San Mateo police issued the following statement:

We wanted to take a moment to thank our community for helping us have a safe and happy Fourth of July. This year, the City of San Mateo coordinated a unified fireworks suppression detail amongst the Police, Fire and Parks and Recreation departments.

This Independence Day, our Fireworks Suppression – Safe Fourth of July Team handled over 110 fireworks-related calls citywide. During this proactive response we confiscated over 50 pounds of fireworks, extinguished one fire, issued multiple citations and made an arrest for possession of illegal fireworks.

All fireworks are illegal in the City of San Mateo and offenders can face fines of up to $1,000. Our officers took a zero-tolerance approach to this important safety rule as the improper use of fireworks can cause significant physical harm, property damage and wildfire risks.
In preparation for the busy holiday, we increased police staffing, partnered with fire prevention patrols, coordinated early park closures to deter illegal activity and maintained constant communication with our park rangers and harbor patrol. We also dedicated resources to manage congestion within San Mateo by assisting our neighboring Foster City Police Department with traffic controls before and after the Foster City fireworks show.

With our community’s help, we continue to maintain our year-round commitment to the safety of San Mateo. Thank you for helping to keep our City safe!

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