ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Public comment Wednesday night centered on two topics, calls for increased police transparency and complaints about fireworks going off all night for weeks. Officials said they would get around to releasing use of force policies. But calls from councilmembers, like Josh Siegel, for increased policing around fireworks were immediate.
“If we can hold anybody accountable we should whether it be drones to make sure we are hunting down people that are violating the sanctity of people’s neighborhoods,” said Siegel.
Buying fireworks became legal in Pennsylvania several years ago. But they aren’t supposed to be shot off near buildings or late at night.
Council member and former police officer Ed Zucal, says the fireworks go off by his house at night. He’s had the police come out, but the bang and pops continue after they leave.
“They have to be enforced for us to correct the problem. That’s the only way it’s going to be corrected, you can have all the laws you want, they have to be enforced,” said Zucal.
Police and firefighters previously said enforcing fireworks is difficult, especially with more on the market. The council members say they will ask the legislature to repeal the law.
