With the Fourth of July a week away, Simi Valley Police Department officers are on the lookout for unlawful fireworks activity.

Working in cooperation with the Ventura County Fire Department, officers are aggressively enforcing the laws prohibiting the possession and discharge of fireworks.

As of June 24, officers had already cited three people for infractions for illegal "safe and sane fireworks," Simi Police Lt. Paul Fitzpatrick said.

While some members of the public may view the cops as funbusters, Fitzpatrick said the goal is to reduce potential injuries and property damage.

"It's important that people don't use fireworks because they're dangerous," he said. "In recent years, we've had houses burn down and people get burned and injured from fireworks."

In 2006, one Simi home was destroyed and another was severely damaged by fireworks that landed on their roofs. Due to this year's extremely dry conditions, the potential for a house or grass fire is even greater, Fitzpatrick said.

As in years past, Simi Police will beef up patrols in the days leading up to and on the night of the Fourth of July, looking for violators and responding to citizens' calls for service.

Though most users of illegal fireworks are otherwise lawabiding citizens, Fitzpatrick said officers will generally follow a zerotolerance policy.

"We're encouraging our officers to cite because everybody has had plenty of warnings; everyone knows they are illegal in Simi Valley," the lieutenant said.

The fines are steep: about $872 for an infraction and $2,200 for a misdemeanor. Depending on prior convictions, fines for misdemeanors could reach as high as $10,000.

The department has again set up a recorded tip line where residents who know of any preplanned unlawful fireworks displays can anonymously report the activity to the police. The hotline number is (805) 583-6151.

Officers are reviewing the messages daily and contacting potential violators to educate them on the fire dangers and legal consequences of discharging illegal fireworks in the city.

Police will also check up on these locations the night of July Fourth to prosecute violations.

For inprogress fireworks violations, residents should call the police department at (805) 583-6950.

In 2008, Simi Police received 20 calls on the tip line. On July 4, dispatch received 159 inprogress fireworks calls—a significant drop from 2007, when 287 calls came in.

According to Fitzpatrick, misdemeanor citations are for fireworks that fly through the air, like bottle rockets, while the infraction citations are for fireworks that stay on the ground, like roman candles and sparklers.

"A lot of times people believe it's their patriotic right to light fireworks on July Fourth . . . but there are more important things than lighting off fireworks— there's the safety of the community and the people around you," Fitzpatrick said.