Coronavirus Enforcement: Davis Police Making Sure People Stay Home During Picnic Day Weekend
DAVIS (CBS 13) — Empty streets and sidewalks replace the biggest party weekend of the year in Davis.
Picnic Day has been canceled amid the coronavirus shelter-in-place order, but local police are still increasing patrols to make sure people obey the order.
Empty benches at UC Davis seem like the ghosts of picnic days past. With most of the students gone, there's just parked bicycles left behind.
"It feels quite empty kinda like a ghost town not going to lie," said Cameron Wolfe, who lives in Davis.
Wolfe said most people already figured Picnic Day would be a goner.
"To be honest, once quarantine started, I knew it was going to be canceled and everyone just accepted it I think," Wolfe said.
READ ALSO: UC Davis Report Finds Crashes, Traffic Down By Half During Coronavirus Stay-At-Home Order
What would normally be tens of thousands of people partying, coronavirus has widdled down to just a few walkers here and there.
"Give up on picnic day this year, just this year. Be patient. it'll be back," said Paul Doroshov, a spokesperson for Davis Police.
Doroshov said officers will step patrols this weekend. Concerns about people who will party anyway, are valid.
Doroshov said police have dealt with more than 100 calls for shelter-in-place violations since the order was in place. About 34 of them were complaints about a party or people gathering.
"It's hard for the students, you're young and you need that social contact. But think about what's safe and think about who you're endangering," Doroshov said.
READ: With Students Gone During Coronavirus Outbreak, Davis Locals Step Up To Support Businesses
Officers are doing more than just giving warnings. If you blatantly violate the shelter-in-place order, you could end up with jail time or a fine up to $1,000. If you want to report a violation, you can call the Davis Police business line.
Yolo County also created a website where you can make reports and ask questions about shelter in place.
"We're hoping people just get the message and do the right thing so we are really asking for people to do the right thing and just don't come to picnic day this year," Doroshov said.
Doroshov said most crime is down right now, except for two categories. Domestic violence calls are up 13%. Business crimes, like theft and breaking and entering, are up 71%.
