Nearly two dozen people were issued citations at a beach on Friday for violating California’s stay-at-home order meant to slow the spread of coronavirus in the state, according to officials. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said Saturday the tickets were issued to 22 people who were “watching the sunset, having picnics near the beach” in Encinitas , located 25 miles north of San Diego . “It’s not that we’re trying to be mean or exert unnecessary authority, we’re dealing with a crisis at this point,” Lt. Amber Baggs from the sheriff’s office said in a video released Saturday. “We want compliance from everybody because this is lives that we’re trying to save.” The sheriff’s office tweeted that the state’s stay-at-home order means that “everyone is required to stay home except to get food, care for a relative or friend, get necessary health care, or go to an essential job.” Tickets were issued to 22 people who were “watching the sunset, having picnics near the beach” in Encinitas, Calif. on Friday, according to officials. The violations carry fines up to $1,000 or six months in jail or both, the department said . “This is a legally enforceable order issued under California law-Govt. Code section 8665,” the office said. Authorities in California are giving out citations to people violating the state’s stay-at-home order, which carry fines up to $1,000 or six months in jail or both. In the video released by the department, Baggs explains that over the past couple of weeks, deputies have gone out on foot and provided “physical copies of the public health order” as well as the executive order […]
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