Bellingham police say their role is to educate during coronavirus 'Stay Home' order
A week after Gov. Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order was announced, the Bellingham Police Department said they have taken a more educational than enforcement role — teaching residents the importance of complying with social distance directions during the coronavirus pandemic.
Inslee announced his order forbidding non-essential activities to slow the spread of COVID-19 on March 23, and it went into effect Thursday, March 26.
“Our role is to educate to gain voluntary compliance,” Chief David Doll said in a city of Bellingham release Tuesday, March 31. “We do not want to place you under arrest for violating the order.”
If officers see groups of people gathering and not practicing good social distancing, they will likely stop and ask the group to disperse, according to the release.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/bellingham-police-say-their-role-is-to-educate-during-coronavirus-stay-home-order/ar-BB11YUI4
