FAQ on stay-at-home enforcement: Can you be fined or arrested? Are there checkpoints?

Mecklenburg County residents are ordered to stay at home for at least the next three weeks to help slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak and prevent an unmanageable surge of COVID-19 cases that could overwhelm local hospitals.

People can still venture outdoors for activities deemed “essential,” such as seeking medical treatment, caring for a friend or loved one, and buying groceries. Restrictions also apply under the state of North Carolina’s “stay-at-home” order, which goes in effect March 30 at 5 p.m.

While the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department won’t actively follow residents around and question their whereabouts, officials are urging people to take these latest restrictions seriously.

“The CMPD will manage the order through voluntary compliance, education, dialogue and cooperation from community members,” the department said in a statement Thursday to The Charlotte Observer. “Enforcement actions will be leveraged as a last resort if we reach a point that we are not successful in attaining community cooperation.”

The sooner people comply with the stay-at-home proclamation, the sooner life will return to normal, Mecklenburg County Manager Dena Diorio has emphasized.

When should I start staying home?

Now — unless you’re considered an essential employee. The local stay-at-home proclamation went into effect at 8 a.m. March 26 and lasts until April 16. The state’s order will last at least 30 days.

Who’s responsible for enforcing this?

CMPD. In a video released by the department Thursday morning, Chief Kerr Putney emphasized the order will be enforced “respectfully” and “professionally.”

“The reason why we’re doing this is to keep everyone safe,” Putney said.

Will there be police checkpoints on highways and local roads?

CMPD does not plan to set up checkpoints yet, according to Deputy Chief Jeff Estes.

“Officers will not be proactively stopping motorists or people to ask where they’re going, what their plans are, where they have been, or where they work,” Estes said in the CMPD video.

So how will CMPD know if residents are violating the order?

Enforcement will be complaint-driven, meaning residents should notify officers — by calling 311 or visiting CMPD’s website — if they see people who aren’t abiding by the stay-at-home proclamation, according to Estes.

That includes reporting private or public gatherings of more than 10 people.

“If somebody calls and someone is blatantly violating the order, we expect the police to respond and ask for voluntary compliance,” George Dunlap, the chairman of the Mecklenburg County commissioners, said in an interview Thursday. “I hope people will begin to see how critically important it is, given the rate of infection.”

Do I need special documentation to leave my home?

No. At this point, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles said, residents won’t be asked to show photo identification or any other type of employee documentation.

“It is not necessary now,” Lyles said during a virtual press briefing Wednesday.

Can I be arrested?

Violating the order is considered a Class 2 misdemeanor. That means residents can be fined up to $1,000 — and face up to 60 days in jail, according to state statute. But officials emphasize police want voluntary compliance to avoid taking someone to jail or writing a ticket.

Does this order apply to people who work in Mecklenburg but live elsewhere?

Yes. Anyone currently within Mecklenburg, whether they live in this county or commute here for jobs deemed essential, are expected to follow the proclamation.

Tyrone Wade, the county attorney, compared the order to a speed limit that’s applicable to all drivers, regardless of where they call home.

“Under the law, if you come into one jurisdiction, you’re required to follow that jurisdiction’s laws,” Wade told Mecklenburg County commissioners during their meeting Tuesday.

Who approved this stay-at-home proclamation?

The stay-at-home joint proclamation was signed by Dunlap and Lyles, as well as the mayors of Cornelius, Matthews, Davidson, Mint Hill, Huntersville and Pineville.

They had previously declared local states of emergency, unlocking access to state and federal funding.

So what happens in 3 weeks?

Depending on the trajectory of COVID-19 cases and the capacity of local hospitals, the stay-at-home order could be extended.

Diorio, the county manager, said officials had contemplated various timelines, including an order that would have spanned 60 days.

But a three-week duration, according to Diorio, allows public-health officials to gauge the extent of the pandemic locally and see what progress has been made to “flatten the curve.”

“I want to be optimistic, but given what we’re seeing, my guess is it will be in effect longer than three weeks,” Dunlap said. “Unless there’s some miracle that takes place, we haven’t even seen the apex yet.”

Can I contact the county if I have questions?

Mecklenburg has established a helpline for the stay-at-home order: 704-353-1926. Residents can call on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published March 26 and updated March 29 with information about the state of North Carolina’s stay-at-home order.

This story was originally published March 26, 2020 at 2:13 PM.