St. Peters Police Step Up Fireworks Enforcement

, a fact that police will be heavily enforcing this Fourth of July week. 

Fireworks have long been illegal in —city officials first banned the usage in 1961 as one of the earliest ordinances passed in the city. In 2008, ordinance No. 5017 was passed. The ordinance states that is "unlawful for any person to willfully set off, use, burn, explode or fire off any fireworks  within the city."

are adding extras officers to the patrol this week to help track down fireworks violators. In additions to the normal officers on duty, extra officers will be on duty doing out doing special enforcement.

St. Peters Police Media Relations Officer Melissa Doss said the additional officers will be out cracking down on firework violators. The officers will be issuing summons to those found to be violating the anti-fireworks ordinance.

"It's impossible to issue to every single person, but we’ll be issuing as many as we can," Doss said. 

The summons, a misdemeanor, carries a fine of up to $500. Doss said violators will have to go to court where the judge will decide the exact value of the fine. 

"It's no different than a summons for trespassing," Doss said.

Doss also echoed Chief Russell K. Mason. In a letter to residents, Mason said that the dry grounds . 

Doss said residents who want to report to report fireworks violations should call the non-emergency dispatch at 636-278-2222.