While the Governor has set Statewide guidance and a phased approach to reopening, he also has made it abundantly clear that the local Health Officer is empowered to establish their own thresholds and requirements. In Sonoma County, each law enforcement agency is responsible for carrying out enforcement of the Health Officer’s orders within their respective jurisdiction. Nothing has changed for the City of Santa Rosa. The Santa Rosa Police Department will continue to support the Health Officer, who is the subject matter expert, leading a safe, strategic and data driven process for reopening. We eagerly look forward to additional allowances in the upcoming weeks, when it is determined safe to do so, but throughout those amendments, our agency will continue to respond to health order violations.

We are committed to working closely with the City Attorney, Sonoma County Counsel, District Attorney’s Office, and Sonoma County Health Officer, to address any health order violations, to ensure we are doing our part to make our community as safe as possible. Our process is to, first and foremost, educate and inform our community of the health order. If there are ongoing violations, we will provide verbal and written warnings, and as a last resort, when necessary, enforce the law. As the health officer makes additional amendments to the health order over time, we will continue to help inform and educate on those changes as much as possible. We ask our community to continue voluntary compliance with the order.

Thank you.