Officers ‘out and about’ for Tacoma Summer Blast, and other Fourth of July events
Following two weekends with multiple shootings, Tacoma police are “out and about” in the city and at Fourth of July events, including the Summer Blast festival along Ruston Way.
“We usually have a great Fourth of July on our waterfront,” police spokesperson Wendy Haddow said on Monday.
At similar events in years past, police and fire department staff on site have assisted with reuniting children separated from their parents, not an uncommon occurrence in big crowds, she noted Monday morning.
The Marine Services and Dive Unit is also out on the water today, in conjunction with Metro Parks’ Summer Blast event. Parks spokesperson Rosemary Ponnekanti confirmed Monday afternoon that hired private security is also assisting the security effort.
Activities began at noon at Cummings Park, where the parks district has set up bounce houses, sand sculpting and more kid-friendly fun. In addition to food trucks, pop-up vendors and local arts and crafts sellers, The Lobster Shop is running a beer garden.
At Dune Peninsula, guests will find another beer garden. Both locations have a stage with live music performances through 10 p.m., when fireworks are estimated to begin — set from a barge approximately 3,000 feet offshore from Cummings Park.
Metro Parks says the display should also be visible from Jack Hyde Park to the south.
Ponnekanti cautioned that later-in-the-day visitors are likely to run into road blocks due to heightened traffic in the area.
Planned road closures through midnight include Ruston Way from Alder to North 49th Street, Yacht Club Road between Ruston Way and the Grand Loop, and North Baltimore south of the Point Ruston roundabout.
Restaurants and other businesses situated in the Point Ruston area are open for business, with Ruston Way south of Alder open to vehicle traffic. Pierce Transit is operating its bus service to the area on its Route 10 line on Pearl Street and on its Route 11 line, which runs from downtown through the Stadium District and the North End to Point Defiance.
FIREWORKS REPORTING NEAR TACOMA
Haddow reminded the community to report illegal fireworks through the region’s new online reporting tool, fireworksreport.com. Residents in Tacoma, Sumner, Fife, Roy and Orting are invited to use it, as are those in University Place.
Fireworks are permitted on July 4 in Gig Harbor and University Place through midnight, and in Lakewood through 11 p.m.. Unincorporated areas of Pierce County can use fireworks on private property through midnight on July 4. They are always illegal in Steilacoom and will also be in Gig Harbor as of 2023.
South Sound 911 has said that July 4 is the agency’s busiest day. Reporting errant fireworks online frees up the emergency line for more serious situations, said Haddow. Officers in the field receive these reports on a screen in real-time, she added.
The system will be available through 6 a.m. on July 5.
Around noon on Monday, Tacoma firefighters knocked out a small apartment fire in the 1100 block of Fawcett Avenue, downtown near 11th Street.
Tacoma police are also stationed at designated “hot spots” for crime throughout the city today, said Haddow, as outlined in police chief Avery Moore’s crime reduction plan.
This story was originally published July 4, 2022 at 2:59 PM.