Next year if Manteca Police cite someone for using illegal fireworks and there are minor children in close proximity, at least two elected leaders want law enforcement to alert Child Protection Services.

The sentiments expressed by City Council members Dave Breitenbucher and Charlie Halford on Tuesday underscore that Manteca leaders are more than  willing to up the ante to stop — or at least drastically reduce — the growing illegal use of fireworks.

Breitenbucher, who retired after serving as a Manteca firefighter, called the launching of illegal fireworks “stupid, dangerous, and irresponsible.”

“CPS (Child protection Services) could be called,” Breitenbucher said if police find minors in close proximity to the launching of illegal fireworks.

Breitenbucher noted the city will not issue a permit — or allow the vendor that launches the aerial display the city pays for every Fourth of July — for the use of pyrotechnics that take flight unless they are fired from a spot at least 1,000 feet from the nearest residence.

In addition, when things do go wrong on the ground it often leads to serious injuries of those close by.

Halford, who originally opposed the legalization of safe and sane fireworks when he was police chief but then helped non-profits he was involved with to operate fireworks booths once the city allowed them, agreed with Breitenbucher’s call to involve the CPS.

And that’s the start of the get tough stance.

The council favors upping the fine to $1,000 per incident and encourage “stacking.”

“Stacking” is a reference to police observing more than one illegal firework being launched by an individual — let’s say five —  and then that person receiving five $1,000 citations from the one visit.

Currently, the city issues just one citation at a time. And if they come back later, on another day, or in a subsequent year and the same person is caught again, a second citation  is issued.

Council also favors issuing criminal citations when are fired from public property such as streets or parks or even commercial property such as happened in a large number last year at Costco.

Such citations wouldn’t be tied to the property and would also catch those that drive into Manteca to launch illegal fireworks.

The council also wants more drones deployed and even more law enforcement on the streets in the days leading up to the Fourth of July.

Those drones with high quality cameras provide such clear footage that Councilman Mike Morowit said at night from 200 feet in the sky you have a clear view of even the color of shorts people on the ground are wearing.

As such, the video evidence is so strong that two people who tried to appeal their citations this year lost.

Thirty citations were issued this year.

Nine have already paid the current $750 fine plus costs associated with issuing and processing the citation. The other 21 will have liens placed on their property.

By deploying more drones — and pairing up a second officer to each drone to allow multiple citations to be issued with continuous back-to-back video recording — Manteca could see a jump in fines assessed against properties where illegal fireworks.

Such an approach this year saw Salinas issue $400,000 in citations for illegal fireworks.

Each council member emphasized it is not about collecting money. Instead, it is about getting people’s attention that illegal fireworks won’t be tolerated — period.

Once it is clear that you have a high probability of taking at least a $1,000 hit to your pocketbook — or significantly much more via “stacking” for those that $1,000 may not be a deterrent — officials are hoping the growth in illegal fireworks will start dropping off sharply.

The costs of additional patrols alone cost the fire department roughly $15,000 this year with the police overtime significantly higher.

Instead of a staff suggestion to explore a percentage fee on non-profits profits from legal fireworks sales to combat illegal fireworks, Mayor Gary Singh wants staff  to look at imposing a fee on the wholesalers — T-N-T and Phantom.

Halford stressed that illegal fireworks is a year round issue.

The councilman noted about once a week someone  in his east Manteca neighborhood fires off an illegal pyrotechnic rocket.

Halford indicated it is an exercise in futility during much of the year to nail such lawbreakers even if they shoot illegal fireworks off for three minutes.

That’s because the odds were extremely slim an officer could be dispatched in time to make a visual verification of where the fireworks were launched that could hold up on appeal.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com