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Duggan acknowledged city officials had “significant debate … about closing parks” but settled on increased patrols, plane flyovers and video surveillance to disperse crowds. The city will begin issuing misdemeanor citations punishable by $1,000 fines and six months in jall, he said.
“We’ve got the resources to deal with these violations,” Duggan said Friday, as some police officers return to work after the department was hard hit by the virus.
“We don’t want to be fining anybody, but we can’t be having these gatherings, we can’t be having folks on the street.”
Duggan announced the crackdown the day after Michigan Department of Health and Human Services director Robert Gordon issued an order allowing police to fine violators up to $1,000 or implement criminal penalties for breaking social distancing rules.