Richmond logs 264 fireworks calls over July Fourth weekend

Richmond police say they kept additional officers on duty throughout the Fourth of July specifically to enforce the city's ban on illegal fireworks, as officers repeatedly confronted crowds of people blocking roadways and setting off fireworks, according to a department statement.

Officers remained at some scenes for extended periods to clear roadways and disperse crowds safely, the department said. Police also used a drone program to locate fireworks activity from the air. By the end of the night, officers had confiscated fireworks, issued six citations, and recovered a loaded firearm during the enforcement effort, according to the statement.

Video/ Linda Hemmila

City dispatch records show the volume of calls behind that response. Between July 3 and July 5, Richmond recorded 264 fireworks-related calls for service. By ZIP code, 94804 saw 133 calls, 94801 saw 80, 94805 saw 30, 94806 saw 13, and 94803 saw eight. The 94804 ZIP code accounted for half of all the calls.

Most calls came in over the non-emergency line rather than as 911 calls. Records show 194 of the 264 calls came in through the non-emergency line, compared with 62 placed as 911 calls.

Where Richmond's fireworks calls came from, July 3–5

A map of the 264 fireworks-related calls Richmond police received between July 3 and July 5, 2026.

Officers were often unable to identify anyone responsible by the time they arrived. Of the 264 calls, 116 were closed as "unable to locate," and another 59 were logged as extra patrol passes rather than responses to a specific complaint. In cases where a unit was dispatched and arrived, the average response time was about eight minutes, though the slowest calls took more than two hours.

Several blocks generated repeat calls over the three days. The 5000 block of Hartnett Avenue drew seven separate complaints, the most of any single location. The 200 and 700 blocks of 7th Street near downtown each drew four calls, while Gaynor Avenue, Santa Clara Street, and 26th Street each logged three.

Images released by the Richmond Police Department show the department's Fourth of July fireworks enforcement effort.

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