Homer Police Department is taking the COVID-19 mandates seriously. It doesn’t want to have to bust people who gather in groups or violate other state mandates, but it will.
Police are asking for the public’s help in reporting violators.
Chief Mark Robl wrote in a press release that if people want to lodge complaints about others who are not obeying the “hunker down” orders, or who are traveling between communities, they should email [email protected] .
“These mandates are enforced by state and local law enforcement and our focus is on education first,” Robl wrote. But there are penalties, he warned, and people can be arrested.
Must Read Alaska has learned that the Homer police raided and broke up a meeting of Alcohol Anonymous in Homer. Participants say they were practicing social distancing, but were dispersed by police anyway.
Is this what we’ve become? We’re resorting to gestapo style reporting on friends and neighbors? Is this what Governor Dunleavy wants? Mayor Berkowitz? Other leaders?
Tell me you just didn’t include Berky with other leaders. Say it isn’t so……….
Exactly John ! Well said.
Suzanne, we need your voice more than ever now since KTVA, KTUU and most others are complicit with this sheer and utter madness. These reporters are wearing masks for crying out loud while doing stories on air? What , are they afraid of the virus spreading through the camera into my living room? This is not how the United States operates. If these individuals want these types of communist type measures, then they can go to Venezuela, Russia, or China. Commonsense and reasonable precautions are what’s needed, not putting our Constitution in a shredder like this.
We have no critical thinking whatsoever now?
If this continues, you can say goodbye to Homer as we know it, as well as Seward and all the other communities as we know them… they’re done… that’s not just conjecture. Just think and connect the economic dots…
Homer and their small, medium, or large businesses will be destroyed by this madness.
And any aid promised by big government will simply be a bandaid on a severed artery. If it did reach them on time ….and that’s a big if.
They wear masks to protect themselves and you. If more folks see the urgency of it, maybe they will take precautions too.
The moral is, do not endanger other people.
With all of the rats who live in Homer, HPD will be very busy. Applications for HPD now being taken.
Exactly John.
Little to no tourism this year, coupled by this madness? Will we see the inevitably destruction of Homer’s economy and many of its residents who choose to “unwittingly” participate in this regrettable madness??? Ask some local Homer business owners now and again in July-August. I guess we shall see. I have my answer. ??
This is now how the United States operates, folks? This is what we see in Russia, Venezuela, and China. Our brave men and women fought and died to prevent this type of government coercion and actions, including the duty and responsibilities of the media. Is this what we want for our children’s future???
Reasonable precautions are one thing. This is something much different.
Local media outlets (KTUU, KTVA and many others nationwide) are now 150% complicit in this reaction and coverage. The reporters are actually wearing masks while standing in front of a camera (alone with no one near them) and reporting the news ??? Is the virus now going to jump through the camera into our living rooms?
Is this not fanning the flames of fear and panic “instead of” exercising reasonable, critical thinking while engaged in news coverage (in a free country )? *** Independent journalism with the [imperative-reasonable- tough questioning] is simply a memory now. Again, reasonable precautions are one thing. This government and media reaction and behavior seems to be something much different within a free country, along with the specific Rights, Freedoms and Liberties afforded to each of us.
The Police Chief, and his department, are tasked with enforcement, not judgement. If they observe or are made aware of potential risks to the community, it is their sworn duty to enforce. That’s what we hire them for. You’d be just as indignant if they did not. They don’t make the law, they don’t ultimately adjudicate the law.
As far as all the comments re unconstitutional restrictions (closing business, mandating people without good reason to be out stay home, closing schools etc etc) you want to be very careful of your argument here. In point of fact, while the Fed Government is restricting itself to “Guidelines” and “Advising”, the States are appropriately making the decisions to put varying levels of restrictions in place.
That’s a good thing!
Thankfully there are those in power that are correctly applying limitations on Fed Government, recognizing the local power appropriately belongs to the States. And in many States they are pushing that local power down to the community level. That is PRECISELY how the US Constitution was meant to work. Both in general and specifically with regards to the 10th Amendment. Is every State going to get it right or apply the same level of power? No. Thank goodness. We absolutely do NOT one size fits all.
And as a final note, YES, the States have the power to enact and enforce the restrictions we see on display. Take a few minutes and check out 1905 Smallpox SCOTUS decisions among others.
Because in the end not all the actions will stand up to legal scrutiny, and it’s all subject to legal action AFTER the fact, why not err on the side of what is best for the community now and save the holier than thou posturing for later?
I dare say, 99% percent of you all would agree the seemingly innocent individual who stopped by a cop for what may be thought of as potentially illegal behavior should respectfully engage the cop instead of acting belligerent, argue, threaten and risk getting hurt. Why wouldn’t you apply the same logic to this situation?
Well said, sadly most of the people complaining about their constitutional rights being violated have little or no understanding of what their constitutional rights are, if they are being violated, or how they are being violated.
.
I generally don’t call the police on people for being idiots, if I did that I’d be calling them all the time…there are a lot of idiots out there!
Does “enforcement,” include having others report (tattle -tell) on others?
Ri totally agree with you on our fed Constitution ,state Constitution,,ECT
With viruses you can never be too careful,they spreed very quickly.me I am on my own distant away from others and if I need sum food I’ll get it with minimal contact with others ,but that’s me .
If I was having to survive from my store selling to the public I would have to really think about the pros and cons for your and my safety’s contact,
Look at the world now, pandemic of the Spanish flue I’m sure the world was ending to many people ,so was WW1 stopped till the virus’s ended and the resumed ? The story’s go on and on as a whole what truly matters yourself or survival of humanity exitanes
Don’t hate for the love of God.
Respect to get respect.
Let us as a city ,state and nation stand together on ridding this virues without finger pointing that is how our children’s children’will remember our Time on Earth !
Of course you would get to see a nice star on your left chest above the pocket with lots of pens to write down who,what when and where ,,that’s a good citizen! Hiel !!!!!!??
What the #$#@ happened to the true good ol boys up there in Alaska it sounds like this winter has taken its toll in cabin fever,I’m ashamed that our country freedom is in the past !!! Good luck all of you folks
PS. Get you vaccines up to date ,that will allow you to get travel papers to and from the new job placements assigned by the elite team.
They should have obeyed the law. Everyone must follow the mandates, even ex drunks.
Please, Greg. Can you show a little respect for people in recovery? “Even ex drunks” ? Was that necessary to make your point? Sobriety is extremely difficult for alcoholics and a shelter in place mandate throws a whole other dimension into their day to day challenges. While an on-line option would have been good if available for them, they certainly don’t need gut punches or the Homer Gestapo.
You are exactly right. Breaking up a support group like AA is ridiculous. Time to take our Country back. Are the cops practicing social distancing in their office? Let’s just pull the support from our most vulnerable citizens and then what, arrest them when they fall off the wagon? That sounds like a very stupid reaction. Are you finally closing all the liquor stores? If not, why not. Are they “essential “ I think not.
I hope someone finds out who was so self righteous to turn them in so we can all watch them to make sure they are not doing something wrong.
All the little self righteous people in this community have nothing better to do, very sad and you should be ashamed.
Like I said, by putting themselves ahead of other people, they lose my civil tongue. There were options.
Ex drunk, ex cons, ex wife beaters, ex rapists……the key word here was ex as in recovering.
Go pound sand Greg. If I desire to go ride my snowmachine with some friends who have been “hunkered down” for the last couple of weeks, we’ll do so. We are able to take the necessary precautions on the way too.
Great. You can do that. Just not disobey mandates by doing a sit in.
Hey Greg,
Go to China, Cuba, Russia or Venezuela if you want so many mandates. Nothing is stopping you.
“Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”- —Benjamin Franklin
Obeyed the law? This is not a law but a breach of your constitutional rights. Sheep.
Maybe, but the government has the right to protect its citizens from its citizens.
Is It a law, Greg?
Or something like a law?
Government has the ability to suspend habeas corpus. It’s law.
Greg,
The President, the Governor, and/or Congress have the ability to suspend habeas corpus none to this point have anywhere in America. Small town cops most certainly do not have that ability. It’s the law.
They haven’t had to yet. The governor gave local cops and government the ability to go deeper than the state mandates if they need to.
No Greg, these are not laws…but public health mandates that suspend civil liberties (like the freedom of association clause in the constitution).
If this path continues much further in America then cases need to be brought into the courts before the entire small business economy is lost to big socialized government.
Benjamin Franklin once said: “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
Yeah big Ben had some real shi* going on. Not a world wide pandemic.
AA is an essential!
You Homer residents need to take control of your community wellness and not allow dictatorship. Help set up Skype, zoom, or conference calls for people who need the AA support.
AA is essential to Homer – a lot of past City Council members got their start there, heh, heh.
Obey the law?
A mandate is not a codified law.
Your a sheep.
Jack booted thugs!
Watch out for the consnitchuent. Governments new breed of citizen.
And we always thought Alaska would be the last place to become a police state.
Just stay home. Watch west side story. You’ll feel better. Interesting how the reporting here has turned more liberal as of late.
Greg,
How exactly has reporting here turned “more liberal”? Please explain what makes you think that.
More liberal? If anything, Suzanne is rightly reporting more like a libertarian, or at least an actual Conservative who abides by the Constitution which many “Conservative” politicians violate on a regular basis. I’m enjoying Suzanne’s reporting more than ever as of late.
I liked it more before the doctor spin saga.
This is an outrage. We were doing just fine down in homer without this kind of police intervention. Many people do not realize the harm to our open society that is being done now. As was once said by our founding fathers, If you trade your liberties for safety, you deserve neither.
Great. Let all of Anchorage come down for a visit then.
So the tolerant city. The place where one can self identify as living in the city but didn’t can be a “duly” elected person now is militant?
Oh such high personal value.
Just proves my position that those “freedom to be anything” types simply only want to control others. Yes, I believe we all should consider safety. It’s best that one should consider that an individual with greater needs to production needs to realize that’s on them to avoid others and not to judge why another is out an about.
I have a friend who is out and about a lot… She’s picking up meds for homebound elderly, she is buying their food and needs …delivery to their door, returns to her car, calls them to inform them that the needed items or hot meal is outside their door.
So yes this lady night appear to be joy riding and shopping all the time but she’s really a hero in my books. Yes, she worried about getting it. But she cares for her neighbors.
So narcs, take care of yourself. And stop being so judgmental.
I agree with you about the hypocrisy of those who spout tolerance, but please do not lump all of us together in Homer as there are many conservatives here. We have our pride and dignity, and will not tolerate our town being smeared as this way or that. Homer has been and is a great town with great people who respect each other and our personal property. There is a loud, persistent and vocal minority here of far leftists that we generally tolerate, but when they go too far, we put the hammer down. We will put the hammer down on you too if you call us commies.
What makes you claim that the reporting “ here” has become more liberal? MRAK simply reported facts not opinion. If you believe that makes the column more liberal, think again.
We are fortunate to have this news outlet. The author pretty much works night and day to inform her readership.
I would not be surprised to see ADN stop publishing if things din’t Change pretty soon. Their revenues have to be falling off the cliff. I am grateful that we have outlets like MRAK to take up the slack.
IDK. My liberal meter suddenly jump 3 points to the left on some latest stories. Reporting that 4 doctors are afraid doesn’t carry the same weight as if say…….100+ said it.
If we do this right, most likely, we will have half the people think we stayed home too long and half think we didn’t stay home long enough.
Yep. Like a buffalo jump, all it takes is a few bison to head for the cliff before all of the heard is galloping towards certain death.
Won’t catch me wasting the cops time on that bs… Its important to stay home to a degree… But we still have to get provisions from stores.. And god forbid apparently now we can get reported for talking with people.. Even with buffs on or masks… Especially if somebody else seems to think it’s more than that. That is insane I’m sorry.. Cops have more important things to do than ask the public to snitch on each other. Talk about tearing apart morale.
Mark Steyn noted that police are turning to policing everything but crime.
The words are, not hunkering down, and traveling between cities. Stop spinning it.
I’d have a little more tolerance for peeps if they were not breaking the law. People think they can just do as they wish even if it endangers others.
No laws have been passed.
HPD does not want to violate your rights , they don’t want to threaten you with monetary penalties, they don’t want to initiate violence against you to stick you in a cage or kill you if you resist their illegal violence . But the Emperor has mandated that they do it so they will.
And it will be much easier for them to violate our rights if we The obedient servants of this once free country rat out our neighbors .
Now that Homer is establishing a community “rat patrol” to tattle on neighbors, Seldovia and several southeast and interior/other communities won’t allow residents to come home, and many absolutely draconian measures in several urban areas of Alaska, how do you like leftist “control” of your lives? Does this sound like what you hear about government ‘control’ of citizens in Venezuela, Bejing, Pyonyang, Tehran, et.al. This is only a small sample of the boots attempting to land on our collective necks. Wuhan cov-19 reaction by the “powers that be” may be necessary to a point, but we can’t let that be an excuse to turn Alaska and the rest of America into a police state. Complete subjugation by “authorities” is allowed nowhere in our state or federal Constitution. Leftists try and ignore those documents and will do so, without intervention from American citizens. Most Alaskans are smart enough and courteous enough to take the incentive on Wuhan v prevention on their own.
Seriously Forkner? 11 comments and counting on one article?
Paid disinformation agent, probably gets 5$ a post from a Soros front group.
MYOB is about the only thing I’ll add. Sad that it’s gotten to this point.
Wouldn’t A.A. be considered an “essential health care service”?
As a retired Alaskan Peace Officer & State Parole Officer, I know that AA meetings are indeed health related, and sometimes legally mandated.. Supposedly with members sitting 6 feet apart in this case….
The AA Group Persecution could have been avoided had the participants held their meeting in the grocery store aisles like all the other locals have been doing for the past few weeks. The cheese aisle being gossip central.
I can’t get the historical images of the Gestapo and East German Stasi out of my mind when things like this occur.
This has no comparison the the east Gerrys. They were trying to save the fascists government. We are trying to save lives.
Starting to look like people don’t want to sit in the back of this bus anymore…
.
Wonder what would happen if Homerites turned out for a protest rally, stood five and a half feet apart, and only wore masks when it’s Halloween or when they’re robbing something.
.
Maybe it’s time for every miscreant to demand a jury trial, and every juror to invoke jury nullification. Imagine how the court system will handle that fiasco.
.
Then Alaskans can look forward to their very own un-civil war as The State forces neighbors to testify against neighbors to prove The State’s case.
.
What have we got to lose?
The Homer Stassi! The answer to 1984 is 7.62.
Has anyone noticed that there has been no mention of the homeless population either in Homer or even Anchorage so did they all quit living one gets a bottle of something then the bunch of them get together! So according to Greg they should all be warned then put in jail so he will feel safe! He is only worried about the tax paying population same as the police chief of any law enforcement! This the sky is falling bullshit is so not America shutting down everything is just the government seeing if they can get away with control over the masses!
… or illegal aliens
In 1933 the police were the SS and the informers the secret STASSI.
Homer needs a new police chief.
Everybody should fill the Alaska NKVD/KGB/STASI/Gestapo email [email protected] with what they really think about all this. I sent mine, will you send yours?
Way to go Robl. Nice job on promoting a positive and supportive message during this very difficult time for not just our community but everyone….NOT! What’s next road blocks? Are you going to stop vehicles going in and out of town make a list addresses and maybe sales receipt to see if you shopped out of town? Let’s show some common sense and give some credit to people to be smart enough to do the right thing with out the fear of fines or being arrested. People have lost their jobs, people are looking to spend what money they have to get the most of it.
And while we’re at, here are some facts: Robl has not lost his job, he is still receiving a paycheck from the City of Homer. He has not lost and benefits. In fact Robl retired from the City of Homer a number of years, so he is receiving his full retirement plus a health salary from the City of Homer. All of this is a matter of public record. For the most part Homer Police Officers and personnel are a great bunch of people. But Robl is putting the entire department in a bad light. Shame on you!
Comments are closed.