Sheriff Defers Safer at Home Enforcement to Health Department

RACINE, WI (WLIP)—The Racine County Sheriff says that he will leave enforcement of the Safer at Home order to the Health Department while his deputies will continue to enforce other laws.

Sheriff Christopher Schmaling said via a post on his department’s Facebook page Friday that Governor Tony Evers latest extension of the order until the end of May is “overreaching” and will “have dire lifetime consequences.”

He says that Racine County businesses can make the necessary adjustments to maintain social distancing. Racine Public Health Director Dottie-Kay Bowersox said in a response statement “It is concerning and alarming that Sheriff Schmaling would be unsupportive and defiant of the extended “Safer at Home” order.

The actions come in response to the best available science and data from the CDC and local public health officials.”