Can We Enforce Stay-At-Home Orders?

YOU CAN GO GROCERY SHOPPING, DROP BY THE HARDWARE STORE, TAKE A HIKE, AND PICK UP A MEAL TO GO AT YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT. SO JUST WHAT DOES THE STAY AT HOME ORDER BY COLORADO GOVERNOR POLIS REALLY MEAN? YOU'RE WATCHING THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK, BROUGHT TO YOU BY CHOICE BUILDERS. I'M WENDY GRAHAM SETTLE. THE GOVERNOR'S STAY-AT-HOME ORDER ON MARCH 25TH HAS SO MANY EXCEPTIONS FOR WHAT ARE CALLED ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES THAT MANY COLORADANS ARE WONDERING WHAT IT MEANS AND WHETHER IT HAS ANY TEETH. YOU CAN STILL GET GROCERIES AND FOOD FROM RESTAURANTS. YOU CAN BUY POT OR YOUR FAVORITE ADULT BEVERAGE. YOU CAN EVEN BUY A GUN IF YOU'D LIKE. BUT, YES, SAY LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS. THE STAY-AT-HOME ORDER IS THE LAW. MORE IMPORTANTLY, SO IS SOCIAL DISTANCING BY KEEPING A SPACE OF SIX FEET OR MORE BETWEEN YOU AND OTHER PEOPLE WHEN YOU'RE OUT AND ABOUT. SO FAR, MOST CORTEZ RESIDENTS ARE COMPLYING WITH THE ORDER, SAYS INTERIM CORTEZ POLICE CHIEF ANDY BROCK. THEY'RE ALSO VOLUNTEERING AND REACHING OUT TO MAKE SURE THEIR NEIGHBORS ARE FED.
WHEN THE COMMUNITY FEELS A HARDSHIP. I THINK THEY KIND OF, THEY COME TOGETHER AND THEY, THEY REALLY SHOW WHAT KIND OF PEOPLE THEY ARE. AND THAT'S, THAT'S NEAT. WITH FEW PEOPLE OUT ON THE ROAD GOING TO AND FROM WORK OR SCHOOL, TRAFFIC INCIDENTS HAVE DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. OFFICE STAFF ARE FIELDING MORE CALLS AS RESIDENTS CONDUCT BUSINESS OVER THE PHONE. AND, BROCK SAID, THE DEPARTMENT HAS SEEN A NOTABLE INCREASE IN CALLS REPORTING SUSPICIOUS PERSONS, MOST LIKELY BECAUSE THE STREETS ARE RELATIVELY EMPTY.  AND THAT'S A GOOD THING.
IT'S THE COMMUNITY THAT'S GOING TO MAKE THIS THING WORK. IT'S NOT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. AND IF THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT'S OUT OF HAND, RESPECTFULLY SAY SOMETHING ABOUT IT. DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE CHANGE NEEDS TO BE? NEEDS TO COME FROM THE PEOPLE. SOCIAL DISTANCING NEEDS TO COME FROM THE INDIVIDUALS. SO IF YOU SEE A GROUP GATHERING AND YOU KNOW, WITHOUT WHAT WOULD BE, YOU KNOW, RESPECTFUL AND EVERYTHING. SO YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BREAK THIS UP, AND PEOPLE NEED TO MAKE GOOD DECISIONS. IT'S THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA MAKE THE CHANGES AND THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL OR NOT.TO SEE A COMPLETE LIST OF PERMITTED ACTIVITIES, VISIT THE MONTEZUMA COUNTY WEB SITE AT MONTEZUMA COUNTY DOT ORG. THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS EDITION OF the LOCAL NEWS NETWORK. STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ON FACEBOOK OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR BREAKING NEWS, UPDATED DAILY. WHILE YOU’RE THERE, CLICK “GET THE NEWS” TO HAVE OUR NEWSLETTER DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO YOUR INBOX — OR, click “CONTRIBUTE NEWS” TO SUBMIT YOUR 15-30 SECOND VIDEO MESSAGE OF HOPE AND THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO ARE FIGHTING THE PANDEMIC. WE'LL SHARE THEM ON THE AIR, ON OUR WEB SITE AND OUR FACEBOOK PAGE. I'M WENDY GRAHAM SETTLE FOR THE LOCAL NEWS NETWORK.