GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) — Police will enforce the Governor’s order to keep bars and restaurants closed and to ban gatherings of more than 10 people. Those orders came down this week in an effort to enforce social distancing in the wake of the COVID-19 Coronavirus outbreak.
Green Bay Police Commander Kevin Warych says officers have received specific instructions about how to handle such enforcement.
“Work with the owner, work with the person in charge of that event to achieve compliance,” Warych told WTAQ on Wednesday. “Provide the Governor’s order if they haven’t seen it, but try to achieve compliance.”
If businesses or organizers don’t comply, police will file charges.
“If people choose to ignore that order, I’ve instructed the officers to just gather the information, articulate the statutes and the crimes within them, and then refer the charges to the District Attorney’s office.
The department has also changed the way things work at the station.
“We’ve suspended some operations within the police department so that we’re not bringing outside visitors within the police department,” Warych said.
Officers may investigate some calls via phone–but not all.
“We have to implement some counter measures to protect our own employees,” Warych said.
