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After New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced last week that gatherings inside private residences should be limited to a maximum of 10 people, a handful of New York State sheriffs have Declared that they would not implement the governor’s decree.
The order comes as the holiday season – including Thanksgiving next week – dangerously coincides with a resurgence of Covid-19 cases statewide, a dire situation which the governor says can be alleviated by the ” intelligent behavior of New Yorkers ”and local governments. enforce Covid-19 restrictions.
However, in recent days, sheriffs in some counties in upstate New York have publicly opposed the governor’s order, saying they will not use police resources to enforce the 10 people for Thanksgiving gatherings at private residences.
“Who and how many people you invite [into] your home is your business, ”Fulton County Sheriff Richard Giardino wrote in a viral Facebook post on Sunday, adding that he will leave it up to the people of his county to make the right decisions on their own and that walking into homes to “see how many turkey or tofu eaters are there” is not a priority for his office.
According to the State Department of Health’s Covid-19 tracker, Fulton County reported a 1.2% positivity rate among residents tested for the coronavirus on Sunday. Statewide, the positivity rate continues to rise sharply, along with the increase in hospitalizations. As of Tuesday, the positivity rate in the state reached 3.1%. The World Health Organization recommends that governments keep test positivity rates below 5%.
“The Fulton County Sheriff’s Office will NOT enforce it against residents of our county,” Giardino wrote of the governor’s order. He added that the ordinance could even be unconstitutional: “Frankly, I’m not sure it can support a constitutional challenge in court for several reasons, including your home is your castle. And as a sheriff with a law degree, I couldn’t in good faith try to defend him [in] Court, so I won’t.
In Erie County, which on Monday saw 272 new positive Covid-19 cases included in its 18,018 total, Sheriff Timothy B. Howard said in a statement Friday: “I have no intention of ‘use the resources of my office or members of Parliament to break the great tradition. from Thanksgiving dinner.
“This national holiday created long-standing family traditions that are at the heart of America, and these traditions should not be stopped or interrupted by Governor Cuomo’s tenures,” Howard wrote. “My office will respect the sanctity of your home and your traditions, and I encourage you to follow your heart and act responsibly, and do what is best for your family.”
Nine people in Erie County died from Covid-19 on Sunday, more than any other county in New York City, according to figures from the governor’s office.
Saratoga County Sheriff Michael Zurlo joined the rebel sheriff list on Monday with a press release telling residents his office will prioritize other 911 calls.
“We have seen an increase in the diversity of call types and need to prioritize,” Zurlo said in a press release. “I don’t see how to devote our resources to counting cars in citizens’ alleys or investigating how much turkey and salad dressing they have purchased is for the public good.
Zurlo said his office “regards its citizens as sacrosanct private residences and, as always, will respect it” and that in response to numerous inquiries about whether his office will implement Cuomo’s decree, he said: “so.”
Saratoga County found 47 new positive cases of the coronavirus in the state on Monday, according to the state’s health department.
Sheriffs of Fulton, Erie and Saratoga County did not immediately respond to requests for comment from NBC News.
The governor’s office did not comment on these sheriffs and others who spoke out against the order.
Last week, in his announcement of the executive order, Cuomo said, “Rules are only worth enforcement. Local governments are responsible for enforcement. There are only two basic truths in this situation: that is individual discipline and its enforcement by government. Full stop. End of sentence. I need local governments to enforce this. “
The executive order also included a series of other Covid-19 restrictions, including those on New York bars, restaurants and gyms statewide.
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