LAW ENFORCEMENT OF LEBANON COUNTY URGES CITIZENS TO COMPLY WITH GOVERNOR’S PROCLAMATION TO AVOIDNECESSITY OF ENFORCEMENT

LEBANON, PENNSYLVANIA – Lebanon County District Attorney Pier Hess Graf announced Lebanon County’s law enforcement gathered and reached a collective understanding with respect to the Governor’s proclamation. Law enforcement urges the community at large to comply withthe Governor’s requests in an effort to maintain public safety.

On March 19, 2020, Governor Tom Wolf issued an Order which required the closure of all non-life sustaining businesses. Various groups then posed questions of enforcement thereafter were posed to the Office of the District Attorney.

Lebanon County’s municipal police departments, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Office of the District Attorney met today and reached a mutual understanding as to the procedures of law enforcement in the near future. Police and the Office of the District Attorney exist to keep peace and order; the overall goal is for each person to feel safe in his or her community. The COVID-19 virus exists in our county, is lethal to our elderly and persons in‘high-risk’ categories, and lacks a definite cure. The District Attorney’s Office recognizes the public’s health and wellbeing is a vital part of whether anindividual feels safe. As such, the Office and law enforcement strongly urgethe citizens of Lebanon County to comply with the governor’s order.

Should police respond to an incident, they may do a number of different things. Enforcement activity can include various actions on behalf of police such as urging the public to comply, warnings, or potentially citing individuals with violating the Governor’s Order. As such, police may simply tell persons in violation of the Order to disburse and go home. Should police feel it necessary, they may issue a summary citation equivalent to a fine. However, lawenforcement and the District Attorney’s Office remain cognizant of the grave reality many people face right now – a lack of work which prevents individuals from putting food on the table or paying essential bills. The hope is by urging compliance, law enforcement never needs to be involved at all.

“Our Office wants people to know police are more active than ever in patrolling the streets and we are still prosecuting crimes on a daily basis,”District Attorney Hess Graf stated. “We see a vast difference between a local, small business doing its best to comply with the Governor’s Order and a large,mass public gathering such as at a bar or nightclub. Enforcement is geared towards the latter, and always with the understanding our police should use their discretion and retain empathy for the struggles of our local community.”

Inquiries regarding this Release, or information for law enforcement as to the above, should be directed to the Office of the District Attorney at (717)-491- 3102 or pgraf@lebcnty.org