FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 14, 2020

 Statement from Rockland County Executive Ed Day

Rockland County Government has been and continues to be fully in support of the Governor’s New York State Police Enforcement Task Force. I spoke with the Governor by phone last night, and we both understand where the true lack of enforcement and support of the Governor’s Orders is occurring. The Town of Ramapo and Village of Spring Valley have outright refused to step up and protect their residents and the residents of our County.

Today, four staff members from the Rockland County Department of Health have partnered with NYS personnel and are undertaking patrol and enforcement actions within the Red and Yellow Cluster Zones. We have identified ten additional County personnel to join these efforts in the coming days, and I thank them for rising to this challenge.

We are committed to the mission of protecting the people of Rockland but increasing our staffing contribution to fill the gaps left by the Town of Ramapo and Village of Spring Valley that flat out refuse to enforce the Governor’s Executive Orders is not our preferred course of action. Each staff member we assign from within County Government will have a direct impact on the services we provide for all of our residents in each and every town.

I welcome the notification being made to every level of government and each school within these clusters that enforcement must take place and that there will be consequences if it does not. Additionally, I thank the Governor’s staff for confirming that he and they are not concerned with the actions taken and support provided by Rockland County Government. It is also clearly understood that County Government does not have the ability to order these other municipalities or their police departments to enforce the Governor’s orders.

Each life lost to COVID-19 is a tragedy and we in Rockland and elsewhere in New York State have already lost too many friends, neighbors, and family members. It is only by all of us working together and ensuring the Governor’s Orders and restrictions are followed that we can once again bring this pandemic to a halt locally.

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