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NOW AT 5:30. WITH INDEPENDENCE DAY JUST AROUND THE CORNER, A WARNING FROM THE CITY OF CHINO IN THE INLAND EMPIRE. STAY AWAY FROM ILLEGAL FIREWORKS. GOOD EVENING. THIS IS THE KTLA 5 NEWS AT 5:30. I'M SURE CALVIN AND I'M AND CITY OFFICIALS SAY ENJOY 4TH OF JULY FESTIVITIES, BUT BE SAFE AND SANE WITH FIREWORKS AND STAY AWAY FROM ILLEGAL FIREWORKS FOR THE SAKE OF NEIGHBORS, VETERANS, YOUNG CHILDREN AND PETS. KTLA SHELBY NELSON JOINS US LIVE FROM CHINO WITH THE WARNING TO CELEBRATE SAFELY, SHELBY.
HI SHARON, MIKE. AND ONE BY ONE, WE HAVE SEEN POLICE DEPARTMENTS ADDING DRONES AS AN ADDED PRESENCE, EYES IN THE SKY TO REALLY CRACK DOWN ON THESE USERS OF ILLEGAL FIREWORKS. WE SAW THAT WITH THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE LAST YEAR. CHINO EVEN DID IT WITH ONE DRONE, BUT THEY'RE ADDING MORE BECAUSE IT WAS SO SUCCESSFUL.
FIREWORKS ON THE 4TH OF JULY, BUT DODGING THE ROCKETS' RED GLARE THIS YEAR IN THE CITY OF CHINO WILL BE A FLEET OF DRONES LOOKING FOR THOSE WHO AREN'T SAFE AND SANE. EACH DRONE HAS A TEAM BEHIND IT.
WE CAUGHT AN OBSERVER AND A PILOT. LAST YEAR WAS A TEST. THE CHINO POLICE DEPARTMENT DEPLOYED ONE DRONE, BUT THIS YEAR THERE WILL BE SEVERAL MORE. WELL, 65 OFFICERS WILL BE ON FIREWORK ENFORCEMENT. THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ZOOM CAPTURES PRETTY GOOD FOOTAGE.
SO THAT YOU CAN PARTICULARLY SAY WHO WAS LAUNCHED AGAIN WHEN YOU GOT ON SCENE. OR WHAT RESIDENTS THEY WENT BACK TO. FOOTAGE FROM LAST YEAR SHOWS NOT ONE, BUT MULTIPLE TIMES PEOPLE SET OFF FIREWORKS. WE AVERAGE ABOUT 500 CALLS FOR SERVICE ON THE 4TH OF JULY IN A VERY SHORT SPAN. LAST YEAR, CHINO POLICE ISSUED 18 CITATIONS, COSTING VIOLATORS A $1,000 EACH.
AND CHINO ISN'T THE ONLY CITY CRACKING DOWN. THIS YEAR'S THE FIRST YEAR THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO IS ALSO UTILIZING DRONES TO HONE IN ON ILLEGAL FIREWORK VIOLATORS. IT'S ALSO THE FIRST YEAR THE CITY ADOPTED A NEW ORDINANCE THAT HOLDS PROPERTY OWNERS, RENTERS, OR SO-CALLED SOCIAL HOSTS RESPONSIBLE, SOMETHING THE CITY OF CHINO ALREADY HAD IN PLACE. THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO IS ONE OF 9 MUNICIPALITIES IN SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY AND ALLOW SAFE AND SANE FIREWORKS. ALTHOUGH THE ONLY LOCATIONS PEOPLE CAN USE THEM IN IN THE CITY IS SOUTH OF THE 210 FREEWAY. IF USED ILLEGALLY, FINES GET A BIT PRICEY. AND THEN THERE IS THE DANGEROUS FIREWORKS CATEGORY. THINK FIRECRACKERS, SKYROCKETS, AND ROMAN CANDLES.
FIRST DEFENSE WILL COST SOMEONE $2,500. BUT IF SOMEONE IS CAUGHT TWICE OR EVEN A 3RD TIME WITHIN A THREE-YEAR SPAN, YOU GET THE IDEA. THE FINES JUST KEEP GOING UP. A 3RD OFFENSE COSTING $10,000.
NOW, IN THE CITY OF CHINO, IF SOMEBODY TRIES TO CONTEST ONE OF THOSE VIOLATIONS, THEY ACTUALLY WILL BE SENT THE VIDEO EVIDENCE FROM THAT DRONE. IN THE MEANTIME, AS FOR THE CITY OF SAN BERNARDINO, SOMEBODY CAN CALL IN ANY OF THOSE VIOLATORS AND THEIR USAGE OF ILLEGAL FIREWORKS, AND IF THAT LEADS TO CONVICTION.