Sentinel staff report–
Citrus Heights Police Chief Ron Lawrence released a video statement Wednesday, joining law enforcement leaders in the region in announcing a stepped up policy to enforce COVID-19 shelter-in-place health orders, if needed.
In an email to The Sentinel on Thursday, Chief Lawrence said “blatant violations” have been a problem in other parts of the county, but Citrus Heights residents have been voluntarily complying with health orders. He confirmed no related citations have been issued by his officers, as of Thursday morning.
“It is my hope that in Citrus Heights, we will continue to see voluntary cooperation, and that we get past this coronavirus without our police department needing to issue a single citation or use any enforcement at all,” said Lawrence. “Education and requesting voluntary compliance will continue to be our primary goal, and I firmly believe most of our Citrus Heights residents will continue to do the right thing by working together to slow the spread of the virus.”
Lawrence said his department has been working with other law enforcement agencies in the region to maintain a “coordinated approach to enforcement of the Health Orders.” Agencies have been focused on an educational approach, but announced enforcement will be taken in certain cases.
A joint news release issued on Wednesday by eight law enforcement agencies and the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office said police actions will now include “conducting enforcement on reoccurring or blatant violations of this Health Order.”
“So far, we’ve asked for voluntary compliance and made sure that we’ve educated our community as best as we possibly can,” said Lawrence in his video statement. “As much as we don’t want to take enforcement action, for those who do persist in violating the health order we will be forced to take enforcement as appropriate.”
Asked whether the stepped up enforcement policy will have an effect on churches opting to hold “drive-in” services, Lawrence said his department “will not be proactively regulating any church services.”
Apparently referencing Pioneer Baptist Church’s drive-in service across from Rusch Park last Sunday, Lawrence said police had observed “at least one church on Easter Sunday carefully using social-distancing with parked cars remaining more than six-feet apart and taking good safety precautions such as wearing facemasks or coverings and gloves.”
“I think this demonstrates the cooperative spirit of adhering to the Health Order, and in this uncertain time I certainly respect that Faith is a crucial foundation for many of us,” said Lawrence.
The District Attorney’s Office says penalties for violating isolation orders are a misdemeanor carrying “up to 90 days in jail and/or a fine between $50 and $1,000,” with each day counting as a separate violation.
Additionally, willfully not complying with a lawful order during a State of Emergency is a misdemeanor violation, carrying a penalty of “up to 6 months in jail and/or a fine of up to $1,000.”