LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Little Rock Police Department has set up a new way for people to report nuisance fireworks.
Setting off fireworks is illegal within the city limits of Little Rock.
Captain Ty Tyrrell with the Little Rock Police Department said every Fourth of July, the department is flooded with firework violation calls through the non-emergency number. Last year the department received over 2,500 calls on the Fourth. The department usually receives around 1,300 calls a day.
“Around 9 p.m. last year, we had 554 calls in a single hour. So, it's impossible for us to keep up with all the calls coming in,” Captain Tyrrell said.
Instead, this year the department has set up a temporary e-mail account to report fireworks: LRPDFireworks@LittleRock.gov.
"People can just e-mail us with the nuisance fireworks violations and then we'll assign those to an officer to go out and check,” Captain Tyrrell said.
Captain Tyrell said sending an e-mail will help free up 911 dispatchers to handle emergency situations.
"Problem is, the people who answer the fireworks violation calls are the same people that answer 911. So, the 911 call takers get tied up with fireworks stuff instead of being able to focus on the 911 calls,” he said.
LRPD will also have extra help on the Fourth of July to respond to firework e-mails.
"If you hear fireworks going off and it's 10:30 at night, please just send us an e-mail that says they're going off in this neighborhood and we'll quiet them down. If there’s injury or damage to property, then you should call 911,” Captain Tyrrell said.
The e-mail account will open up Tuesday at noon and closes Friday, the fifth, at noon.