New York City will set up random checkpoints at key entry points into the five boroughs to enforce the state’s mandatory 14-day quarantine period for people arriving from areas with high coronavirus infection rates, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said Wednesday.
The initiative will be coordinated by the city’s Sheriff’s Office, which will deploy law enforcement officers to conduct those checkpoints on major roadways.
“Travelers coming in from those states will be given information about the quarantine, they will be reminded that it is required not optional,” de Blasio said. “They’ll be reminded that failure to quarantine is a violation of state law.”
The checkpoints will be set up at major bridge and tunnel crossings, and could also be established at less-frequent entrances to the city, according to Sheriff Joseph Fucito.
“Compliance with the quarantine is our objective and checkpoints are an effective means to make sure travelers are on notice and can take precautions to protect our beloved city,” Fucito said.
Law enforcement officers won’t target specific vehicles, Fucito said. So, even if someone is traveling into New York with a certain license plate, they’re no more likely to be stopped than someone with a New York license plate.
Instead, Fucito said, law enforcement officers will stop vehicles in a pattern, and maintain that pattern throughout the day. They could stop every sixth car, for example.
“The only way to have an effective checkpoint is having a random component to it,” Fucito said.
The checkpoints are an extension of the state’s quarantine order, which was set up in June to require travelers to self-isolate upon entering New York if they’re coming from a state with a high infection rate.
As of Wednesday, people entering New York from 35 states — whether they’re flying, driving, or taking another form of transportation — were required to undergo the 14-day quarantine period.
Major airlines have already struck an agreement with New York state to require travelers entering New York by plane to fill out paperwork with their contact information. That way, the state can check on those individuals to see if they’re complying with the law.
New York City is the only municipality in the state, as of now, that will set up an enforcement mechanism for individuals entering the state by car.
Senate Republican Leader Robert Ortt criticized the checkpoints in a statement Wednesday afternoon, saying de Blasio should allocate resources toward the city's other problems, like the economy and a spike in crime.
"The Mayor should instead focus his energy on assisting the city's struggling small businesses and developing a clear plan to safely reopen the schools," Ortt said.
"Most importantly, in a city where crime is running rampant thanks to bail reform, defunding the NYPD and Democrat pro-criminal attitudes, New York City residents would be best served if law enforcement resources fought violent crimes on the city's streets instead of fining people for driving in cars."
Fines for violating the state’s quarantine order can range from $2,000 to $10,000 under certain circumstances.
