The import and use of illegal fireworks in San Bernardino County, namely in the High Desert Communities (Victorville, Hesperia, Adelanto, Apple Valley, Barstow) is an issue that plagues residents year-round. Though this issue needs addressing across Southern California, this petition is starting with our High Desert Communities in San Bernardino County.

Illegal fireworks use worsens in the months leading up to and coming down from the hype of the 4th of July holiday. Many residents of our neighborhoods have noticed an increasingly troubling and offensive use of illegal fireworks in the past few years. Each year, the problem gets worse. Each year, the issue is left unchecked. Families, young children, newborns, household pets, working professionals, mentally-disabled, the elderly, special needs populations, veterans, and wildlife are all affected by this constant daily nuisance. Each year thousands of people, many of them children, are burned, blinded, and even disfigured by fireworks. In addition fireworks cause fires that cost us millions of dollars in property loss.

Like clock-work, months out from the 4th of July, the noise level in our neighborhoods increases exponentially. This way of life and lack of corrective action on behalf of the local government and police force, leaves us feeling powerless to enact meaningful change in the proctoring of our communities. 

This petition is for increased police presence in our High Desert communities in especially in the evening and early morning hours (concentrated in the months between May-August), as an active-approach of presence at the time of likely offense, rather than a passive-approach or no response whatsoever which unfortunately is the latter. 

Our voices speak and we need to be heard by our city officials and local law enforcement. The change starts one neighborhood at a time.