Sheriff: Deputies will not stop people to ask about their travels.

Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast

Sheriff: Deputies will not stop people to ask about their travels.

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

HART – Oceana County Sheriff Craig Mast wants the community to know that his deputies will not stop people to ask about their travels during the Stay Home, Stay Safe order.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order (EO 2020-21), Monday, March 23, directing all Michigan businesses and operations to temporarily suspend in-person operations that are not necessary to sustain or protect life. The order also directs Michiganders to stay in their homes unless they’re a part of that critical infrastructure workforce, engaged in an outdoor activity, or performing tasks necessary to the health and safety of themselves or their family, like going to the hospital or grocery store.

Effective at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, March 24, for at least the next three weeks, individuals may only leave their home or place of residence under very limited circumstances, and they must adhere to social distancing measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when they do so, including remaining at least six feet from people from outside the individual’s household to the extent feasible under the circumstances.

Complaints will only be prosecuted by the state attorney general’s office, Mast said. “Everything will be referred to the attorney general.”

“We’re just asking the community to exercise common sense and do their part,” Sheriff Mast said. “Exercise social distancing, exercise common sense — we can all get through this together.”

Mast said if there is a complaint of “obvious violation,” the sheriff’s office will address it. It may be as simple as asking a large gathering of people to “break it up” and “participate in social distancing.”

“We’re trying to make it safe for everyone,” he said. “The executive order carries the weight of the law. We’re trying to be good partners with the governor.”

“There is so much that is unknown and so much uncertainty that it creates a lot of fear. We’re not trying to promote fear. We’re trying to get through this pandemic and come out a healthy community. We’re living through a historical event.”

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