City not actively enforcing state COVID-19 curfew
The city is following the county’s lead and is not actively enforcing the state-mandated COVID-19 curfew which closes all non-essential businesses and prohibits non-household gatherings after 10:00 p.m.
“The city contracts for police services with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, which is not actively enforcing the COVID-19 curfew,” Canyon Lake City Manager Chris Mann said. “In addition, the city no longer has emergency regulations in place which would allow Code Enforcement to cite businesses or individuals for failing to comply with the state orders.”
The city let expire Emergency Regulations Orders it had enacted at the beginning of the pandemic.
“The state or county could certainly enforce the orders, but we have not heard of any such enforcement efforts thus far,” Chris said. “The city encourages residents to use common sense and will continue to do whatever we can to support Canyon Lake businesses during these challenging times.”
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department said it is aware of the new Limited Stay at Home Order issued by the Governor that went into effect on Saturday at 10:00 p.m.
Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, as he has previously stated regarding other COVID-19 restriction enforcement, made it clear that his officers would not police or enforce the new state-mandated order.
“It has been the policy of the Sheriff’s Department to encourage responsible behavior and compliance with the Governor’s orders,” the sheriff, which provides contracted police for the City of Canyon Lake, said. “To ensure constitutional rights are not violated and to limit potential negative interactions and exposure to our deputies, we will not be responding to calls for service based solely on non-compliance with the new order or social distancing and mask guidelines.”
The state Limited Stay at Home order applies to counties in the most severe “purple” tier, of which Riverside County has been designated. Households are not to mix after 10:00 p.m. inside their homes or elsewhere, according to the order. Although Sheriff Bianco is not enforcing the order, he encourages county residents to adhere to it.
“It is very important that all of us do everything we can to protect ourselves from contracting or spreading this virus,” Sheriff Bianco said. “The only way to ensure you do not contract the virus is to stay at home and avoid contact with others. For those going out into public, it is very important to protect yourself from contracting and/or spreading the virus by wearing a mask and social distancing.”
Essential businesses, such as grocery stores, restaurants (takeout and delivery), pharmacies and gas stations, are permitted to remain open after 10:00 p.m.
“Nothing in this order prevents any number of persons from the same household from leaving their residence,” Erica S. Pan, the state Acting State Public Health Officer, said, “as long as they do not engage in any interaction with (or otherwise gather with) any number of persons from any other household, except as specifically permitted.”
The curfew ends at 5:00 a.m.