Manatee County extends curfew another seven days, with changes to address local concerns
The Board of County Commissioners voted 5-2 Friday afternoon to extend the 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. local curfew, along with updates that address concerns from residents and the American Civil Liberties Union.
Certain provisions from the curfew have been removed, such as the limitation of gatherings of 10 people or more on private property and how law enforcement officers should deal with homeless populations while the curfew is active. Commissioner Vanessa Baugh and Commissioner Stephen Jonsson voted against the curfew extension.
Those changes were recommended by the Manatee County Emergency Policy Group and the County Attorney’s Office. On Tuesday, the local chapter of the ACLU sent a letter that highlighted issues with the previous ordinance, and how it unnecessarily restricted rights.
The board first voted 5-2 to enact the curfew on April 3, with Baugh and Jonsson dissenting.
“We have eliminated the language that referenced private property. It now applies to public areas and public spaces,” said County Attorney Mitchell Palmer. “We are now making a concerted effort to deal with the homeless in a different and more compassionate way.”
Commissioners said they were satisfied with the changes, especially after hearing complaints from residents about how restrictive the curfew is. The ACLU’s message helped steer some of those changes.
“There is never perfect legislation. It’s always good when you have a neutral body looking at restrictions,” Commissioner Misty Servia said, referring to the letter. “I really do appreciate the revised ordinance.”
“We think the county would be hard-pressed to justify the curfew as it was initially enacted,” Michael Barfield, president of the Sarasota chapter of the ACLU, said in a statement. “The revisions are most welcome.”
According to Public Safety Director Jake Saur, the county’s curfew is working to the benefit of first responders. Fewer people on the road means fewer crashes, he explained, which allows EMS staff to respond more effectively to suspected COVID-19 calls.
Law enforcement officers in Manatee County have not written a single citation to enforce the stay-at-home order. Sheriff Rick Wells explained that the main purpose of the curfew is to amplify the message issued in Gov. Ron DeSantis’ statewide stay-at-home order.
“Basically, the curfew has brought the proper amount of attention to the executive order. We are limiting the people on the road at night, not trying to restrict people’s rights,” Wells said.
Baugh and Jonsson, however, said they still felt that DeSantis’ order was action enough, and to further extend the curfew only scares residents.
“I’ve heard nothing to change my mind from a week ago. I think it’s scare tactic and we’ve done a pretty good job of scaring the community,” Jonsson said.
There are two hotlines to report violations of the governor’s stay-at-home order or the county’s nighttime curfew. Call Manatee County Code Enforcement at (941) 748-2071 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. Call the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office at (941) 747-3011 ext. 2260 on nights and weekends.
This story was originally published April 10, 2020 at 3:33 PM.
