Enforcing the Santa Cruz county shelter-in-place

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION) This St. Patrick’s Day will have a very different look in the streets of Santa Cruz, because of the new Order of a shelter-in-place.

The order went into effect beginning at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, directing people to stay home and keep away from others as much as possible over the next three weeks.

Non-essential gatherings and travel will be banned as part of the order, which also directs residents to work from home or stop working unless they provide an “essential service” like those in the health care industry and law enforcement officers.

Essential businesses like grocery stores, pharmacies, gas stations and banks will also remain open under the order.

The Santa Cruz county order states, “the Health Officer requests that the Sheriff and all chiefs of police in the County ensure compliance with and enforce this Order. The violation of any provision of this Order constitutes an imminent threat to public health.”

Enforcement will start of lighter and then become more severe.

“We just want to give it some time to make sure people are well informed. We’ll have copies to give to people as well,” Santa Cruz Police Chief Andy Mills said. “And communicate with the bars and help them understand they can’t have a bar running.”

The enforcement will largely be focused on non-essential businesses that aren’t closing their doors to customers and restaurants that are serving customers at tables.

“A 65 year old woman wanted to know if our deputies are going to arrest her and her friends if they’re out walk," Sheriff Jim Hart said. "Clearly our deputies are not going to be bothering those people.”

Large group gatherings are the other focus for law enforcement.

“Typically as we’re heading into spring break, especially along the beach area, we get calls to parties and that type of stuff. So I think we’re probably going to run into that,” Hart said.

A misdemeanor citation is the harshest penalty for disobeying the shelter in place.