The spokesperson for the New York State Police today told The SullivanTimes that "enforcement of the executive orders (regarding coronavirus) is primarily being handled at the local level. "
Beau Duffy, director of public information statewide, added: "However, if we respond to a specific complaint or become aware of an issue, Troopers are educating those involved about the requirements of the order and asking for compliance. People have been cooperative and we have not issued any citations." (He added that there’s a phone number that Empire State Development has set up for complaints ).
Near the end of a news conference today at around 12:30, Governor Andrew Cuomo echoed Duffy by saying "enforcement compliance" is done by the local governments, whether its public health departments or police. "If these rules are not complied with, more people will get infected, the infection rate will go up and then you'll see a necessary reduction in (business) activity which hurts everyone. "
Sullivan County Sheriff Mike Schiff last week on his Facebook page seemed to question the wisdom of enforcing executive orders related to coronavirus when he posted a video of a Seattle area law enforcement officer that has gone viral.
On his own Facebook page, Schiff replied to a resident with "we're not going to let that happen here" when that resident posted a video about law enforcement officers who just follow orders.
The video posted by the Seattle officer had all the makings of language used by The Oathkeepers (where the video is featured) when he said "we are going to see bloodshed in the streets. "
Schiff and Undersheriff Eric Chaboty are supporters of The Oathkeepers, a far-right gun rights group that morphed into an anti-government organization when President Obama was in office.
Since the election of President Trump, the organization has acted as volunteer "security" escorts at Trump campaign events and rallies to " protect" those attendees from any anti-Trump protesters.
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