Orange County Sheriff says deputies will not enforce Gov. Newsom's new stay-at-home order
ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes is doubling down on his stance that deputies will not enforce the stay-at-home orders.
As all of Southern California will be under Governor Gavin Newsom's new stay-at-home order, Barnes said Orange County deputies will instead respond to calls for possible criminal behavior and anything considered threats to life and property.
"To put the onus on law enforcement to enforce these orders against law-abiding citizens who are already struggling through difficult circumstances, while at the same time criticizing law enforcement and taking away tools to do our jobs, is both contradictory and disingenuous," Barnes said in part in a written statement.
Below is a full statement released by Barnes:
Like Barnes, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva also does not plan to enforce the state's order at businesses.
"They bent over backwards to modify their entire operation to conform to these current health orders, and then they have the rug yanked out from under them," Villanueva said. "That’s a disservice."
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
- LA County will be under Gov. Newsom's stay-at-home order Sunday night
- LA County Sheriff: Deputies will not enforce Gov. Newsom's stay-at-home order at businesses
- Riverside County Sheriff Bianco blasts Newsom, says department won't enforce lockdown orders
In Riverside County, Sheriff Chad Bianco blasted Gov. Newsom for putting together the new lockdown orders. Bianco accused Gov. Newsom of having a "dictatorial attitude" and acting "extremely hypocritical" after the California governor threatened to pull state funds from counties that refuse to enforce the lockdown order.
The allegations of hypocrisy come as Gov. Newsom was spotted dining indoors at the French Laundry while being around people from multiple households.
"The dictatorial attitude toward California residents while dining in luxury, traveling, keeping his business open and sending his kids to in-person private schools is very telling about his attitude toward California residents,his feelings about the virus, and it is extremely hypocritical," Bianco said in part in a video message.
Get your top stories delivered daily! Sign up for FOX 11’s Fast 5 newsletter. And, get breaking news alerts in the FOX 11 News app. Download for iOS or Android.