Chicago police issued more than 4,600 orders for groups to disperse and arrested 17 people in April while enforcing Illinois' stay-at-home order amid the coronavirus pandemic, the department said Friday.
Officers issued a total of 4,632 dispersal orders from April 1 through April 29, CPD said in a statement. Officers also wrote six citations - which carry a fine of up to $500 - to individuals "who deliberately disobeyed the order," authorities said.
Officers made 17 arrests related to the order, according to police, who said the arrests came "after individuals failed to obey the dispersal order following repeated requests and citations."
Illinois was under a statewide stay-at-home order for the entire month of April, banning large gatherings and travel outside the home except for specified essential activities, like grocery shopping, seeking medical care and exercising, among others.
A new, modified version of the stay-at-home order took effect Friday through May 30, allowing some businesses to reopen but still banning gatherings of more than 10 people, in accordance with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on social distancing.
The dispersal orders "are the primary tool officers are using to keep people at home during the pandemic," CPD said.
CPD said overall crime across Chicago dropped by roughly 30% last month as compared to April of last year, though shootings did increase to 207 from 194 in April 2019.
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Illinois reported 2,563 new cases of coronavirus Thursday, bringing the statewide number of infections to 52,918. An additional 141 fatalities reported Thursday lifted the statewide death toll to 2,355, health officials said.
