Fireworks complaints in Mandan were down this year, and police ended up citing fewer people than they expected for fireworks violations.

Deputy Chief Paul Leingang said 71 fireworks complaints were lodged with the Mandan Police Department since the pyrotechnics went on sale June 27 through Sunday, the last day to buy and shoot them off. Last year, police heard 97 complaints.

Police made citing people for fireworks more of a priority this year after the city commission came up with a revised city ordinance dealing with the Independence Day amusements.

This year, people could shoot off fireworks in Mandan from noon to midnight on July 2 and 3, and from noon July 4 to 2 a.m. July 5. The former ordinance allowed people to fire off pyrotechnics between 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. between July 1 and 5.

A citation for a fireworks violation carries a $75 fine.

Police cited nine adults and three juveniles for fireworks violations this year, which was much lower than Leingang expected. He said officers often had to respond to more pressing matters than fireworks complaints and could not respond fast enough to find violators.

"A lot of the fireworks complaints we responded to, people were gone on arrival," he said.

- JennyMichael