Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- Park Forest Police will begin giving citations for what they term “egregious violations” of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s Stay-At-Home executive order.
In a statement Monday to which the department added the hashtag #InThisTogether on social media, police said, “While the Park Forest Police Department continues to use education and warnings to enforce Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order 2020-10 (Stay At Home Order), officers have been authorized to issue municipal citations for egregious violations, including hosting and attending parties or other social events not exempted in the order or for repeated violations that place others at risk.”
“We will not stop someone simply for being outside,” police said in the statement. “We must have independent reasonable suspicion to stop someone, such as a traffic stop.
“We will not ask for documentation or written reason for your exemption. Your valid reason which falls under an exemption can simply be stated verbally to the officer.”
But then this, “We will issue a municipal citation if it is determined you are in violation of the order and a citation is an appropriate remedy. Let’s not have it come to that. Please stay home unless you must partake in essential travel or exempted activities.”
Park Forest Police Chief Christopher Mannino previously told eNews Park Forest that officers were given guidance on enforcing the Stay At Home order.
“The Governor’s order does not give police probable cause to stop someone solely for being out,” Chief Mannino previously said. “If we have reason to have contact with someone (traffic stop, call for service, etc.), we may then inquire as to their purpose being out. Our goal is to gain voluntary compliance. If someone is found to be out in violation of the order, they will be directed home.”
This new directive appears to be consistent with the Chief’s previous statement.
We must all treat each other as if we and the other person are infected with novel coronavirus 2019. This is a matter of survival.
Please, #StayAtHome.
We are #InThisTogether.
