Oshkosh police issue 39 warnings under 'safer-at-home' order that came from Evers administration

Police made two visits to Hobby Lobby at 1118 South Koeller Street this week before it decided to close. 

By Miles Maguire
The Oshkosh Police Department has issued 39 warnings to enforce the governor’s “safer-at-home” order since it came out March 25.

The warnings have been delivered to businesses, residences and gatherings in the city’s parks, a review of police records shows.

Hobby Lobby received warnings on Monday and Tuesday, before posting a sign on its door that it was closed to customers “based on guidance from public health officials.” The nearby Jo-Ann Fabrics and Crafts posted a similar sign after getting a visit from police on Tuesday.

“There have not been any citations or arrests made in regards to this,” Office Kate Mann, the department’s public affairs and crime prevention officer, said Friday.  “Citizens have been very cooperative and willing to work with us.”

Both Hobby Lobby and Jo-Ann “are still allowed to ship orders from their store, but customers are not allowed in the store,” she said.

Police have issued multiple warnings at Fugleberg Park, Pollock Community Waterpark and Menominee Park, including at the address for the zoo, police records show.

The highest single-day number of warnings, 11, came Thursday. Six warnings were given on April 1 and March 27. March 25 and March 29 had the lowest number of warnings, one.

While the police have been given this new task of warning residents about social distancing, the total number of incidents they have had to handle appeared to drop off immediately after the governor’s order.

On March 26 of this year, for example, police recorded 74 incidents. On the same date in 2019, there were 95.

A similar pattern appears when controlling for the day of the week. On April 2, 2020, there were 85 incidents. On the same date last year, there were 103, or 18 more.

This year April 2 was the first Thursday of the month. On the first Thursday of last year, April 4, there were 127 incidents, 42 more than on the comparable day this year.

“There could be numerous reasons for the fewer incidents per day, and some of that might be [attributed] to less people out at businesses and traveling on the roadway,” Mann said. "Analyzing this data and looking for patterns may be included in an after action review."