A New Jersey police chief has said he will not enforce some of Gov Phil Murphy's 'draconian' COVID-19 orders ahead of ...
A New Jersey police chief has said he will not enforce some of Gov Phil Murphy's 'draconian' COVID-19 orders ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Last week, Murphy imposed a 10-person limit on indoor gatherings just before the holidays. The order went into effect on November 17.
'Keep Thanksgiving plans as small as possible. The smaller the gathering is the less likely it is that someone is infected and putting loved ones at risk,' the order from the governor's office reads.
In an interview with Fox & Friends Weekend, Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick, Jr explained why he wouldn't be enforcing parts of Murphy's restrictions.
Howell Police Chief Andrew Kudrick, Jr (left) said Sunday that officers will not be 'going to enforce some of these executive orders which I feel are basically draconian'. Gov Phil Murphy (right) has placed a 10-person limit on indoor gatherings just before the holidays
'Our community is hurting,' Kudrick said. 'I live here. I grew up here. I shop here. I go out to dinner here. And I talk one-on-one with our business owners… and I see how much they're hurting.'
'So as a police chief, in charge of 100-plus police officers, I felt it was just incumbent upon me just to let them know, and let my community know, that we're not going to enforce some of these executive orders which I feel are basically draconian,' he told Fox & Friends Weekend.
Kudrick also released a statement regarding his department's position on the new restrictions.
According to the statement, Howell police officers will not go door-to-door to enforce the governor's restrictions.
'We the police will not be used to carry out orders I feel are detrimental to our relationship with our community,' Kudrick said. 'Or, will put officers in a no-win predicament such as being called for a social distancing or mask complaint.'
Kudrick said that 'the only time we will consider a response would be for an egregious violation such as a packed house party'.
Kudrick also released a statement regarding his department's position on the new restrictions. According to the statement, Howell police officers will not go door-to-door to enforce the governor's restrictions
New Jersey, which has a positivity rate of about 7.9 per cent, has reported 4,679 new positive COVID-19 cases, bringing the state's total to 302,039.
The state recorded 34 new deaths, bringing the total to 14,934.
'The numbers speak for themselves. Please take this seriously. Wear a mask. Social distance. Avoid large gatherings,' Murphy said in a tweet on Saturday.
On Friday, health officials said that there are 2,505 new hospitalizations in the state and 452 of those individuals are in 'critical care'.
Fifty-one per cent of those critical care patients are on ventilators.
No comments