For nearly three decades, setting off your own fireworks has been illegal in Spokane.
In the city, it can result in a $536 fine. In the unincorporated parts of the county, depending on severity of the infraction, you can be made to pay up to $1,000.
We wanted to know: How many reports to the police of illegal fireworks actually result in fines?
A spokesman for the Spokane Police Department said they don't keep numbers but he did outline the procedure for how officers decide how to respond to calls.
The main factor: How much of the danger the fireworks pose.
Reports of illegal fireworks are made through Crime Check. If the police can tell from the call that there's a real danger to people, it's an automatic police response.
If there's no clear danger to people, but there is a threat to property, the fire department will respond. That means the fire marshal could issue the fine.
If there's no danger to people or to property, there will be a general broadcast on the scanner. That means any officers in the sector will go check it out if they can but it's not necessarily an immediate response.
All of this depends on the call load. The officers make many case-by-case decisions.