You are reading

City Creating Special Task Force to Crack Down on Illegal Fireworks

Fireworks packaging left behind from a summer night last year at Hunters Point (Photo provided by Mark Christie)

June 11, 2021 By Allie Griffin

The city is creating a multi-agency task force to crack down on illegal fireworks this summer, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced earlier this week.

The task force will be comprised of 32 agents — 10 officers from the NYPD Intelligence Bureau, 12 fire marshals from the FDNY and 10 deputy sheriffs from the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

The officers will also collaborate with the Port Authority, New York State Police, Yonkers Police, New Jersey State Police and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to share intel and resources.

The task force will aim to prevent fireworks from entering New York City by targeting major suppliers.

“We’re going after the people who bring these fireworks into New York City to begin with,” de Blasio said. “We’re getting right at the source.”

New York City residents lodged thousands of complaints regarding illegal fireworks last summer, including in Queens.

In Queens, residents filed more than 9,600 complaints about illegal fireworks with 311 from June 1 through August 31, 2020, according to NYC open data. There were only 229 fireworks complaints in the borough during the same period in 2020.

The complaints were particularly high in the waterfront neighborhoods of Astoria, Long Island City and Far Rockaway last year.

The illegal fireworks activity appears to be making a return.

There have been more than 450 complaints of illegal fireworks in Queens alone since May 1, according to 311 data.

“Each summer we look forward to the right kind of fireworks… but we also know that there’s a real problem with the wrong fireworks,” de Blasio said. “Illegal fireworks are noisy; they disrupt the peace in neighborhoods, but they can also be dangerous.”

email the author: news@queenspost.com

3 Comments

Click for Comments 

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

Hard Rock CEO outlines vendor opportunities for $8B Metropolitan Park casino project

May. 2, 2025 By Shane O’Brien

Hard Rock International Chairman and CEO Jim Allen addressed hundreds of Queens-based vendors and small business owners Thursday morning at the Queens Theatre, outlining how they could play a key role in shaping the proposed $8 billion Metropolitan Park casino and entertainment complex near Citi Field—if the project is awarded one of the three downstate gaming licenses up for grabs later this year.

Beyond brunch: Unique ways to celebrate Mother’s Day in Queens

May. 2, 2025 By Jessica Militello

With Mother’s Day just over a week away, there’s still plenty of time to plan something meaningful in Queens to celebrate the special women in your life. While brunch or dinner is always a classic choice, there are also unique and memorable ways to mark the occasion with family and friends. From candle-making workshops and floral arranging classes to beer tastings and hands-on crafting, here are some fun and heartfelt ways to celebrate Mother’s Day right here in the community.