Waukesha Police, State Officials Share Fireworks Rules

The Waukesha Police Department is asking for the cooperation of the citizens of Waukesha and any visitors in making this Fourth of July season as safe as possible, according to a news release from Capt. Dennis Angle.

Over the past years, the Waukesha Police Department has responded to hundreds of fireworks complaints, which forces the Waukesha Police Department to utilize resources on an already high call volume day, the release states.

“We are asking the citizens of Waukesha to abide by City of Waukesha Municipal Ordinance 11.12, Regulation of Fireworks,” the release states. “All business in the city have been advised and have assisted us in not selling the illegal items. The ordinance specifically states that ‘No person shall sell, expose, offer for sale, use, keep discharge or explode any fireworks.’”

The exceptions to the ordinance include:

• Sparklers that do not exceed 36 inches in length and .25 inches in diameter.
• Devices that produce an audible sound but do not explode or spark.
• Devices that emit smoke but do not leave the ground.

Tickets for violating the city’s fireworks ordinance are $88.

“We ask that every celebration takes place responsibly,” the release states. “Thank you for your cooperation and assistance in keeping the City of Waukesha safe this summer.”

Meanwhile, the Wisconsin Department of Justice has compiled and explained the statutes and laws concerning fireworks and firework permits in the State of Wisconsin in a news release sent Wisconsin media outlets. The document, which is posted to this article, explains the regulation of fireworks throughout the state and the process of obtaining a permit to legally possess and use fireworks.