Elgin police are again taking measures this year to curb illegal fireworks, from creating a special team to handle complaints to visiting neighborhoods to talk to residents to providing signs asking neighbors not to set them off.

A special firework detail started June 6 to deal with complaints and be proactive in education and enforcement, Elgin police Cmdr. Heather Lencioni said. Four officers are assigned to the effort from 8:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

“Typically, the last week of June is when we start seeing the spike in the number of fireworks complaints, which is why we dedicate four officers daily to address (them),” Lencioni said.

The department also launched its annual walk-and-talk campaign June 18 to reach out to people living in areas where the police historically receive a large number of fireworks complaints, she said. Once they make their way through those neighborhoods, they’ll visit other parts of town, she said.

Additionally, the department has mailed out notifications to residents who previously received warnings and/or citations for setting off illegal fireworks, Lencioni said.

All the efforts are part “of what we do every year to get the message out that fireworks are illegal,” she said. “We want people to be safe and go watch the professional fireworks.”

Over the last five years, the police have seen a dramatic drop in the number of calls for service they’ve received in the weeks leading up to the Fourth of July.

While there was a spike in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic, when the department registered 248 complaints in the first three weeks of June, the number has been just 29 this year, data shows.

And, in fact, the number’s been dropping consistently in the years since they’ve stepped up their efforts. In 2021, they handled 118 calls; in 2022, there were 49; in 2023, 39; and in 2024, 28 calls.

That’s good news given the number of people injured by illegal fireworks annually. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, hospital emergency rooms see an estimated 7,000 fireworks-related injuries annually. In 2023, there were 9,700 people injured, according to data.

Of the injuries treated, 35% involve hands and fingers and another 22% were injuries to the head, face, and ears, commission numbers show. Children under the age of 15 make up more than a quarter of the injuries.

“We try to give people a little bit of perspective of possible injuries when they handle high-grade fireworks,” Lencioni said.

The police are also trying to appeal to residents’ consciences.

“Please Respect Veterans NO FIREWORKS,” reads one of the free yard signs being distributed for free by the city of Elgin and police department The sign says fireworks are illegal in Elgin and can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms for combat veterans. “Please respect the law and those who have served.”

Another reads, “For the Love of Pets, NO FIREWORKS. Please respect the laws and the pets in your neighborhood.”

City Councilman Steve Thoren came up with the idea of distributing yard signs three years ago after seeing a similar campaign in another town.

He hadn’t realized how veterans are affected by fireworks until he started researching the topic, he said. It can make them feel like they’re back in a war zone, he said.

It can be equally hard on pets, many of who are scared by the noise fireworks generate.

“I was a kid once, and I loved firecrackers,” Thoren said. “But I never thought about any other consequences.”

However, he’s seen firsthand how frightening and stresfful it can be for animals. “My poor dog runs to the basement and runs into the far corner and is shivering,” he said of his boxer, George.

He’s been amazed at how well-received the signs have been, he said. There are many posted in his neighborhood, where he’s a block captain.

“There are people reading them and thinking about it,” Thoren said. “I think the biggest thing (the signs) do is bring awareness.”

The yard signs are available at Elgin City Hall, 150 Dexter Court; the Elgin Police Department, 151 Douglas Ave.; and the Downtown Neighborhood Association of Elgin, 31 S. Grove Ave. They can be picked up from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

To report fireworks complaints, call the police department’s nonemergency number, 847-289-2700, or use its online fireworks complaint form at https://lf-forms.cityofelgin.net/Forms/tCzuF.

The city’s professional Fourth of July fireworks display will start about 9:20 p.m. Friday, July 4, and can be viewed from downtown Festival Park, where there also will be live music, food and family activities. For more information, go to elginil.gov/1740/Fourth-of-July.

Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.