ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Most of the metro St. Louis area is under a stay-at-home order to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
Residents are strongly encouraged to stay home as much as possible. But this doesn’t mean you’ll get in trouble with the law for driving around town.
St. Louis County police took to Facebook Wednesday to clarify what the stay-at-home order means.
Police said there’s wrong information making the rounds online that officers will pull over drivers and ask for papers or proof of where they’re going.
“Our department is not doing this,” the St. Louis County Police Department wrote on its Facebook page.
5 On Your Side’s Christine Byers spoke with the St. Louis County police further about how they’re handling people and complaints about possible stay-at-home violations.
Officers are “encouraging people to comply with the stay-at-home order when we receive calls for service,” according to police spokeswoman Officer Tracy Panus.
County police Sgt. Benjamin Granda said the department will not be arresting people for violating the order “at this time.”
“We are optimistic the public will make good decisions regarding the enforcement of executive orders,” he wrote. “If the public exercises sound judgement, they have the power to save lives.”
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If someone sees a business not following the executive order, Granda said it can be reported to the counselor’s office at countycounselorcovid19@stlouisco.com.
Click here to read Christine Byers’ full report on how other police departments in the area are enforcing stay-at-home orders.
5 On Your Side's Christine Byers contributed to this report.