GREEN BAY (NBC 26) - Cases continue to spike in Brown County. The total confirmed cases are now more than 500. Starting Friday, if you're not following the Governor's Safer at Home order, it could cost you hundreds.
"When I say we respond to complaints, we've responded to hundreds of violations of the order whether it's businesses or people," said Commander Kevin Warych with the Green Bay Police department.
It's a problem Brown County says we're facing, not enough people are social distancing.
"That spike in positive cases appears to have started around the Easter holiday," said Claire Paprocki with the Brown County Health department. "We've seen some communities gathering together on that holiday."
As cases hit 517 in the county Thursday, health officials warn this isn't the end.
"We will continue to see higher case numbers due to aggressive and increase in testing at the three facilities," Paprocki added. "The testing is part of our strategy to help curb the spread of Covid-19 in our Brown County community."
Paprocki said this means only leave your house for the essentials; don't go to your neighbor's house for a bonfire or don't visit someone even in your own apartment building.
Starting Friday, a new ordinance in Green Bay will allow police to fine someone for not following these rules. It's a municipal citation that will cost you $376; but it's something Warych said they don't want to have to do.
"Our message has always been compliance and education, and that has worked in the majority of all of these complaints," Warych said. "But this municipal citation really streamlines the process for the officers, holds people accountable if need be; but really our message here is we don’t want to give out any tickets."
If you are fined, Warych said the ticket would read as a violation of law relating to public health. He also adds, law enforcement will not pull you over without cause to see if you're violating the Safer at Home order.
