Solano sheriff won't enforce COVID curfew
The agency says it will choose education over enforcement.
The Solano County Sheriff’s Office says it will not enforce California’s stay-at-home order despite the region’s sharp increase in coronavirus-related infections that the curfew is intended to curb.
In a social media post early Friday evening, a spokesperson for the agency said its deputies will “focus on providing professional assistance in support of the community’s best interest and well-being.”
But that won’t extend to enforcing the state’s stay-at-home order, which is intended to reduce the spread of coronavirus infections after many counties — including Solano — reported a sharp increase in the number of people stricken with the virus in recent weeks.
The number of coronavirus-related infections and deaths have spiked in Solano County in the weeks since state health officials allowed it to move from the most-restrictive “purple” COVID response tier to the less-restrictive “red” tier.
Unlike other parts of California, Solano County has played a central role in the ongoing global coronavirus health pandemic: It was the first place in the United States to report a confirmed infection of COVID-19 in February. It was also one of the first places in the country to report a rare co-infection of COVID-19 and the flu virus.
Despite this, the sheriff’s office says it will not commit deputies to respond to reports of people who are violating the state’s curfew, which prohibits non-essential travel and gatherings between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. starting this Saturday.
“My deputies will not be ‘policing’ the activities and/or gatherings as it is up to the community to monitor the safety of their own family,” the sheriff’s office said. “Therefore, we encourage every individual who conducts their business in public do to so in a lawful manner and celebrate the upcoming holidays mindful of the collective need to adhere to public health guidelines.”
But if they don’t and people report large gatherings, the sheriff’s department says it won’t respond to those calls. Instead, it will refer callers to the Solano County Public Health Department.
In the past, the health department have told people with complaints related to COVID-19 restrictions to contact local law enforcement, according to emails reviewed by Solano News Update.
This newsletter is an all-volunteer effort. If you would like to show your appreciation, consider making a donation in any amount or converting your email subscription into a paid one. Discuss this newsletter and other stories from across Solano County on our Facebook group here and follow our new Twitter account here.