April 30, 2020 -- Westchester County District Attorney Anthony A. Scarpino, Jr. is providing law enforcement agencies in Westchester updated guidance for enforcing New York State’s additional social distancing, closure policies and business restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown.
“New York State and Gov. Andrew Cuomo are putting the health and safety of all New Yorkers first and foremost during this pandemic, including us here in Westchester,” said DA Scarpino. “And we, along with our colleagues in police departments in every village, town and city in this County, are here to make sure all residents and visitors follow these important mandates.”
As Gov. Andrew Cuomo extended the New York Pause Policy through May 15, 2020, he has continued to issue executive orders regarding the pandemic, which law enforcement agencies are charged with clarifying for their communities and providing enforcement of those orders.
The recent orders include prohibiting nonessential gatherings of any number of individuals for any reason at any location in the state, closing all nonessential businesses, and increasing the fines for noncompliance to $1,000 for each violation.
In his memo to all the County’s 41-plus police chiefs and commissioners, DA Scarpino said in part, “I believe that the least invasive enforcement mechanism should be used to obtain adherence. Verbal warnings to disperse or cease the activity or gathering, including when applicable, an advisement of the Government’s orders and State Health regulations barring non-essential gatherings, should be employed. Such warnings usually will suffice.”
Today, DA Scarpino stressed, “These actions are focused on keeping Westchester safe and healthy. If each of us follows the rules, we honor the front-line workers who are putting their lives on the line for the good of all of us. Doctors, medical personnel and hospital employees, police, fire, prosecutors, essential county employees and other civil servants, pharmacy, grocery and food industry workers should all be honored by our compliance. By keeping each of us safe, we are keeping them safe.”
This is the second memo released by the DA’s Office giving clarification to police departments.
Read:
D.A. memo to Police Departments dated April 28, 2020
D.A. memo to Police Departments dated April 13, 2020
