MN law enforcement begin to cite those violating stay at home order

[TBO]

https://www.twincities.com/2020/04/06/coronavirus-minnesota-law-enforcement-begin-to-cite-those-violating-stay-at-home-order/

 

Citations for violating Gov. Tim Walz’ orders to stay at home and halt business operations have started trickling in across the state, including a few in the metro area.

 

As of Monday, eight people were charged with violating the emergency orders. The orders require bars and restaurants to halt dine-in services as well as having residents largely stay at home. Violating the order is a misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000 or 90 days in jail.

 

The first was issued in Faribault County on March 26. Two others have been issued in Dakota County, and one each in Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington, Traverse and Mille Lacs counties.

 

Officials with the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota say they are monitoring law enforcement’s response to the orders to make sure it doesn’t disproportionately impact communities of color or create adverse health risks.

 

“If criminal citations are necessary they should be handled by citation, not booking someone into jail where they cannot social distance,” said Teresa Nelson, the organization’s legal director. “We know the minute COVID-19 enters a facility it can spread like wildfire so that would be counterproductive to the intent of the (stay at home order).”

 

So far, Nelson said she wasn’t aware of anyone being booked into jail solely for violating one of the emergency orders.

 

Maplewood police issued a citation to Mahmoud Mohammad Salit April 3 for continuing to operate his tobacco store on White Bear Avenue after officers warned one of his employees that the business did not meet the state’s “essential” criteria and had to close, said Lt. Dan Busack.

 

Salit could not be reached for comment Monday.

 

Dakota County issued citations to two individuals a couple days earlier after responding to a call about someone shooting paint-balls at a residence on the 7200 block of River Road, said Inver Grove Heights Patrol Cmdr. Dennis Haugland.

 

When officers responded, they found the vehicle involved and charged one of the occupants with criminal damage to property, possession of marijuana and violating an emergency order, court records say. A female passenger was cited for violating the emergency order.

 

The citations should not suggest the department is going after people who don’t follow the order, Haugland said.

 

“We are focusing heavily on education and trying to get the word out … and trying to follow the governor’s message to flatten the curve,” Haugland said. “(But these) two parties were out there doing things they probably shouldn’t have … They weren’t going to the store … They weren’t going to work.”

 

Cottage Grove charged a woman for driving after cancellation and violating the emergency order after an officer familiar with her “very lengthy history” pulled her over, said Cottage Grove Police Captain Randy McAlister.

 

Due to data privacy, McAlister said he wasn’t at liberty to disclose details, but said the officer had reason to believe the woman’s outing did not meet the state order’s allowable exceptions, which include leaving the house for essential travel, health and safety reasons, to get groceries and other services, to engage in outdoor activities or to care for another.

 

“We have made lots of traffic stops since the order went into effect and nobody else has received this citation,” McAlister said.

 

He added that the his department has fielded “multiple calls” from residents concerned about violations, noting that none of those resulted in citations either.

 

McAlister and other law enforcement spokespeople said their departments aim to educate people about the order.

 

As of Monday morning, St. Paul had not issued a citation, said spokesman Steve Linders, nor had the Ramsey County sheriff’s office.

 

Sheriff Bob Fletcher said the department has received complaints though, including the use continued use of basketball courts at some parks. That’s the one giving him particular concern, he said, because it involves close contact between players and a shared ball.

 

The department hopes signs now posted at parks will start deterring the games, but if that doesn’t work, the sheriff’s office plans to suggest its partner cities remove hoops.

 

“We hope we don’t have to take that measure but if we really want to stop the spread of this contagion we can’t be having basketball games,” he said.

 

The ACLU is concerned that so far law enforcement does not appear to be enforcing the order consistently, said Nelson. She warned against agencies tossing the violation onto a list of charges facing an individual suspected of more serious criminal conduct.

 

“It seems like police are kind of piling on violations on top of other charges … and that does not seem appropriate,” she said.

 

 

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[railfancwb]

How does one practice “social distancing” in a jail cell?

[janice6]

12 hours ago, railfancwb said:

How does one practice “social distancing” in a jail cell?

Solitary confinement!

[Fog]

Fascism at work.

[Huaco Kid]

19 hours ago, TBO said:

"We are focusing heavily on education and trying to get the word out … and trying to follow the governor’s message to flatten the curve,” Haugland said.

McAlister and other law enforcement spokespeople said their departments aim to educate people about the order.

WHAT WE'VE GOT HEYA IS FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE.....!!!!!

[janice6]

2 minutes ago, Huaco Kid said:

WHAT WE'VE GOT HEYA IS FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE.....!!!!!

[holyjohnson]

19 hours ago, TBO said:

Officials with the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota say they are monitoring law enforcement’s response to the orders to make sure it doesn’t disproportionately impact communities of color or create adverse health risks.

how can a Citation be Proportional to someones race?

that would require a system of Quotas and that is Prohibited in MN.

 

[Huaco Kid]

26 minutes ago, holyjohnson said:

how can a Citation be Proportional to someones race?

They're only tearing down basketball hoops.

There have no instances of them bulldozing skating rinks or cutting the masts off of sailboats.

[janice6]

2 hours ago, holyjohnson said:

how can a Citation be Proportional to someones race?

that would require a system of Quotas and that is Prohibited in MN.

 

True.  But in a liberal state like ours, Quotas are the only way Whites can  be punished righteously, for abusing Blacks 200 years ago.

So if it's necessary to "even the score" it's acceptable to our state's liberals.  We have been "evening the score for the last 100 years that Minnesota has been a state.  We still are giving them money as reparations for acts of our, and their, ancestors.  I'm told by our politicians that this is only "fair".

Edited April 9, 2020 by janice6

[railfancwb]

9 hours ago, janice6 said:

Solitary confinement!

So THAT’s why they are letting convicts out. 

[janice6]

2 hours ago, railfancwb said:

So THAT’s why they are letting convicts out. 

God knows you wouldn't want the criminals to come to any harm or violate their civil rights.  The taxpayers don't have the protection of the Southern Poverty Law Center so they must go to jail.

[RenoF250]

On 4/7/2020 at 8:46 PM, TBO said:

 

Officials with the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota say they are monitoring law enforcement’s response to the orders to make sure it doesn’t disproportionately impact communities of color or create adverse health risks.

 

 

 

 

What a POS organization.  As long as you **** on everyone's rights equally it is all good, even better if it takes whitey down a peg.  The ACLU has a legit purpose but they ignore it for the race baiting bullshit.

[windowasher]

I hope someone will fight this all the way to SCOTUS.  Closing a business by edict constitutes a "taking" which is a violation of Amendment V and Amendment XIV.  Threatening to arrest people for simply being out violates Amendment I, and XIV.

 

When one group of private businesses are allowed to remain open while others are forced to close clearly violates Amendment XIV, Section 1...

"No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws."

[ASH]

out here in the sticks  business as usual .  our county sheriff knows better to try any of that bullshit .  

[Borg warner]

Let's say someone is driving in their car or even walking down the street and therefore violating the stay at home order. What would probable cause be to suspect that they were making a non-essential trip from home and if stopped and questioned how could anyone prove that they were going to a store to acquire essential goods or to an essential medical appointment?

I've been staying home but I've had to go for doctor's appointments and occasionally for food items even though my nephew and his wife have been doing some shopping for me. so that I don't have to leave the house.

Like the overzealous enforcement of certain gun control laws, using law enforcement in an over-reaching manner can cause bad relations between law enforcement and the citizen and an unwillingness of citizens to support and cooperate with the police and can result in a lack of respect for the law.

 

[ASH]

respect gets respect , you wanna act like  a dick  get ready to be treated as one .  they cant prove where you were  going,  and frankly non of their business.

[TBO]

Let's say someone is driving in their car or even walking down the street and therefore violating the stay at home order. What would probable cause be to suspect that they were making a non-essential trip from home and if stopped and questioned how could anyone prove that they were going to a store to acquire essential goods or to an essential medical appointment?

I've been staying home but I've had to go for doctor's appointments and occasionally for food items even though my nephew and his wife have been doing some shopping for me. so that I don't have to leave the house.

Like the overzealous enforcement of certain gun control laws, using law enforcement in an over-reaching manner can cause bad relations between law enforcement and the citizen and an unwillingness of citizens to support and cooperate with the police and can result in a lack of respect for the law.

 

If you analyze the contacts in the article nobody was stopped/checked on just because they were out in public.

 

They drew attention to themselves by breaking the law (just like they do during non-stay at home times), such as:

 

-criminal damage to property

-disorderly conduct

-multiple traffic violator

-etc

 

Not a single "papers please" type contact referenced.

 

Nobody in my agency, or area, to my knowledge, is remotely interested in a "papers please" contact.

 

Sincerely

 

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[Borg warner]

9 minutes ago, TBO said:

Nobody in my agency, or area, to my knowledge, is remotely interested in a "papers please" contact.

I doubt that any cop on the street wants to do this but there are plenty of politicians who would love to have them do it.

[TBO]

I doubt that any cop on the street wants to do this but there are plenty of politicians who would love to have them do it.

The good news is they are far away from the street, safe and secure in their ivory towers, where their voice carries no real world weight.

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[Huaco Kid]

2 hours ago, TBO said:

Nobody in my agency, or area, to my knowledge, is remotely interested in a "papers please" contact.

I've noticed many employees enforcing the Floor Arrow Laws and our "distancing".  They may not be enjoying it,  but they are doing it.

Google the TSA.

[janice6]

15 hours ago, Borg warner said:

I doubt that any cop on the street wants to do this but there are plenty of politicians who would love to have them do it.

Yes.  That is a different problem.  One that we are only to familiar with already.

People at businesses on the other hand, will soon forget all about the reason for separation, and begin to enforce what they believe is needed or required.  Because, so many people that get an infinitesimal feel for authority, soon find it too tempting to let go.  The big frog in a tiny pond complex.