Las Vegas police checking for illegal fireworks on July 4

The Metropolitan Police Department will send officers around the Las Vegas Valley on the Fourth of July to check for illegal fireworks usage, Chief Rich Fletcher said at a news conference Thursday.

It’s the first time officers will actively seek out residents misusing fireworks in an effort to promote Fourth of July safety.

“We see injuries, we see calls for service go up and we see a real strain on our first responders that night,” Fletcher said.

Police will take any illegal fireworks and drop them off at one of three locations throughout the valley.

The Metropolitan Police Department responded to about 4,500 911 calls and about 5,000 311 calls on the Fourth of July last year. More than 575 of them were attributed to fireworks.

In addition to fireworks safety, Fletcher said residents should keep an eye on children around pools to minimize drowning risk, and refrain from drinking and driving.

Contact Jessie Bekker at jbekker@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4563. Follow @jessiebekks on Twitter.