Stepping Up Patrols For The Fourth In Pulaski County
By: Deedra Wilson
Updated: July 2, 2012
You may not hear the sound of fireworks this Fourth of July.
But the sound of the cash register at Fireworks World on Kanis Road in Little Rock is still ringing.
Chris Halbrook is aware of the burn ban in Pulaski County, so he is taking his stash out of state.
"We are gonna go to Mississippi with them."
Good idea.
Because with a no tolerance level around most of the 75 Arkansas Counties, Pulaski County Sheriff's will be out in full force, in some cases doubled up.
"We've asked some of our reserved deputies to come out and volunteer their time, so we can basically have two man units. And we have some other divisions we are putting on the street."
This push for a crackdown has caused sales to decline at this firework stand.
Halbrook, spent almost 4-hundred bucks on those fireworks.
That's music to employee Steve Gotcher's ears.
"Yes, we would normally have several of those leading up to the fourth, that's where we get most of our money from."
Now they can only bank on smaller sales, like fireworks that you don't have to light.
"We still have the poppers and the snappers that you throw on the ground."
Gotcher, says they want people to be responsible but remember, "We can sell them, and they can come out and buy them, they can shoot them off whenever we do get some rain."
Until then Lt. Carl Minden says deputies won't wait for people to just call in, they will be proactive by going out looking to catch you in the act.
"So if someone is shooting fireworks we can get to them before the call for the fire comes in. Because if you shoot them, it's high likely we're gonna have a fire just because it's so dry right now."
Halbrook, says if he were to stay here.
"I'm responsible, I know not to do anything ridiculous."


