Law enforcement answers questions about stay-home order

MATTAWA — After the state shut down schools, churches, many businesses and most normal activities to combat the coronavirus pandemic, rumors have started circulating and people are asking questions. How are police enforcing the stay home order? Are essential-worker papers necessary to be able to drive to work? Will the actions being taken by the state lead to martial law?

In Washington state, law enforcement is not setting up roadblocks or stopping people to see if they have essential-worker papers.

“No one is going to get pulled over for being on the road,” said Kyle Foreman, public information officer for Grant County Sheriff’s Office. “No documentation is needed. If you get pulled over, it is for a traffic violation. An officer may very well ask where you are going. That is a routine question. We’re not turning anyone away.”

“I think it is important to remember we are all in this together,” said Joe Harris, police chief for the city of Mattawa. “Coronavirus is real, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better. As your police department, our main focus is to inform and educate. We understand these are trying times and that none of us have ever experienced this before.”

In Washington, Gov. Jay Inslee has ordered people to stay home through May 4. But that doesn’t mean that necessary trips to the grocery store, pharmacy and doctor’s office are off-limits. The governor has encouraged individuals to get out and enjoy the outdoors, as long as proper social distancing is observed.

“As for stopping people and asking them where they are going, the answer is no,” Harris said. “Police officers must still have probable cause to make traffic stops, and the rights of the Constitution still apply to all of us. Your police department understands this is a delicate balance, and we respect that.”

While police aren’t stopping people without cause, they will be ensuring that businesses are following the rules and will be talking to individuals if they see them in a group. They will be educating people about the importance of staying home to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“I want to stress that your police department is not looking to write tickets, arrest violators, or close down businesses at this point,” Harris said. “Coronavirus is serious, it is real, and it is dangerous. We continue to stress the importance of obeying the stay home, stay safe rule, washing your hands, maintaining social distance, and masking up when you do go out.”

According to Foreman, Grant County Health District is working with larger retailers to help them promote social distancing among customers. If a business continues to violate the governor’s order, it can be fined and have its business license revoked. An individual in continual violation can be arrested and/or fined.

“Fair warning to those who refuse to be educated and informed, we will take the necessary steps to ensure compliance,” Harris said. “Violation of the governor’s order may be investigated by local law enforcement and/or the state attorney general and is punishable as a gross misdemeanor, with up to a year in jail and up to a $5,000 fine for individuals, or up to a $250,000 fine for any business entity.”

According to Foreman, so far the sheriff’s office has not had to take more drastic measures.

“Our preference is that we don’t have to do any enforcement for this,” Foreman said.

Rumors about checkpoints stopping motorists are also not true.

“We have no plans for doing any stopping of motorists to verify essential workers,” Foreman said. “That is not a reason to pull someone over. We have not and won’t be doing that. No one around us is doing that.”

Rumors that members of the National Guard may be doing the same are also untrue. While the National Guard has been activated to assist during the COVID-19 crisis, their job is to assist with humanitarian aid.

“We were offered assistance from the National Guard in Grant County,” Foreman said. “We decided we didn’t need the assistance. It allows them to focus their resources in areas that do.”

While the governor is granted the ability to declare martial law under the Revised Code of Washington section 38.08.030, that does not appear to be what is going on.

“The National Guard is unarmed,” Foreman said. “They’re not coming out in tanks. They are coming out to do humanitarian work.”

Foreman said that when measures such as social distancing and closing schools and non-essential businesses happen quickly, people can become confused.

“We’re trying to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the county,” Foreman said. “The success of that is determined by health officials. Once it has been successful, we can return to our normal lives. We are doing what we need to to take care of a very serious problem. Once this is done, we can go back to normal.”