Seaside increases surveillance to combat illegal fireworks

SEASIDE – The city of Seaside will once again be using drone surveillance and its Flock Gunshot and Audio Detection system to help them crack down on the use of illegal fireworks this Fourth of July. Seaside's zero-tolerance policy began in 2025, when the city began heavily enforcing laws against illegal fireworks, including the use of drones.

Seaside Chief of Police Nick Borges says this summer is expected to be especially busy, with the Fourth of July and the 250th Anniversary. Historically, illegal fireworks have been a problem year round and this year, they’re cracking down more than ever.

“We had to take this seriously because this is what the community has called for,” said Borges. “We have about half our community who thinks enforcing fireworks is the silliest thing ever, but they forget about the other half.”

The city maintains a zero-tolerance policy for illegal fireworks, which are any fireworks without the “Safe & Sane” seal from the State Fire Marshal’s office. Last week, the city announced its Fourth of July Public Safety Operational Plan, which includes four components:

1. A public education and community awareness initiative regarding the dangers and legal consequences of illegal fireworks.

Also included in the community awareness initiative is a plan to utilize the city’s Flock Gunshot and Audio Detection system to “identify areas experiencing suspected illegal fireworks activity in the weeks leading up to July.” According to the police chief’s report, this information will be used to guide enforcement deployment and target mailed educational outreach material.

In 2023 a grand jury report on the issue of illegal fireworks in Seaside made note that Seaside City Council recently approved the purchase of 25 Flock Safety Automated License Plate Reader system cameras and leasing of the Flock Safety Gunshot Detection system. According to the report, public testimony from a Flock representative at a City Council meeting stated that the Flock Safety Gunshot Detection system was not currently capable of distinguishing gunshots from illegal fireworks.

Borges says that statement is technically accurate, but may not capture the full story. “The Flock system isn’t 100% foolproof where it can distinguish a gunshot and a firework,” said Borges. “However, the technology is so advanced it does actually differentiate which one, its not 100% accurate but I’d say it’s 90% accurate.”

2. Increased law enforcement operations, additional officers in the week before the Fourth and two dedicated enforcement teams for day and night on the holiday itself.

3. A collaboration with the Seaside Fire Department to deploy drones to monitor public areas of the city. Borges described the drone as “extremely sophisticated, one of the best drone teams in the Peninsula.”

“We’re not looking in people’s backyards and invading privacy,” said Borges. “We’re basically trying to pin the addresses where fireworks are shooting off from, and our camera system is so good we can literally see from clothing descriptions, we can see what people are wearing while lighting fireworks off in the street. Oftentimes it’s around the corner a block away and then running back to a location. That property is getting a $1,000 citation, because that’s where that person is hiding out.”

The city of Salinas has similarly begun the use of drone surveillance, deploying a “fleet” of drones across the city which will respond to firework calls and “proactively” monitor areas of illegal activity.

4. Firework reporting and community tip lines. The full operation plan can be found on https://www.ci.seaside.ca.us/129/City-Council-Committee-Agendas

Fireworks are a controversial issue in Seaside. In November 2024 a measure was proposed prohibiting the sale, purchase, possession, storage and use of all fireworks, not just approved ones, but was defeated by 10 percentage points.

“Three years ago I was up at a high point in the city of Seaside,” Borges shared. “The sun had just gone down and I saw all of these birds flying. Birds you don’t normally even see at nighttime, and they were flying in such distress they almost flew like bats. Flying in one direction and going another, dive down and go straight up. You could just see and feel the stress. This is not that community, we’re not a huge landscape where you can light off fireworks and not effect the entire community. We’re nine square miles.”

Fireworks are largely illegal in the state of California and in Monterey County, but in Marina, Seaside and select other cities, residents can enjoy "Safe & Sane" fireworks during designated times during the summer holidays.

“Safe & Sane” fireworks are ones approved by the California State Fire Marshal with a corresponding seal. Only fireworks with that seal are permitted between noon on June 28 through noon on July 6, with a nightly curfew of 10 p.m. The city of Marina enforces a similar policy, also mandating the use of “Safe & Sane” only between June 28 and July 4 at 11:59 p.m.

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