Faced with a growing number of complaints about fireworks, the Charlestown Police Department is embarking on a public education campaign to explain Rhode Island’s fireworks regulations. “There are several reasons for this effort, but safety remains our primary concern,” Charlestown Police Chief Michael Paliotta said. Police across the region said that changes over the years have led to an increase in the presence of both legal, non-aerial fireworks and illegal fireworks. The Office of the Rhode Island Fire Marshal says that the only legal fireworks are ground-based devices and sparklers. The ground or hand-held devices produce a shower of colored sparks, or smoke, or may feature a colored flame, a crackling sound or whistle. “These devices do not rise into the air, do not fire inserts or projectiles into the air, and do not explode or produce a report,” according to a fact sheet provided by the fire marshal.