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Reporting violations of Gov. Mills' coronavirus orders

The Maine Department of Public Safety says violations of the Governor's Executive Orders should be reported to local authorities.

AUGUSTA, Maine — The Department of Public Safety is the state department that is handling all issues regarding any non-compliant businesses in Maine. 

While some states have created special "hotlines" or online pages for people with report violations of coronavirus-related orders, Dept. of Public Safety Spokesperson Steve McCausland says law enforcement is prepared to take down those reports. 

"If someone has a complaint or sees a possible violation, they should call their local police department," McCausland says. "The governor's executive orders can be enforced by state, county, and local law enforcement. So if a person has a concern, that's who they should reach out to and law enforcement can take it from there." 

McCausland says in the majority of cases so far, non-compliant businesses did not know they were going against the governor's executive order. 

"I can tell you our first task is to try to educate," says McCausland. "We're finding that a lot of times when there is a violation, it's a misunderstanding about what the true regulation is."

McCausland says, at this time, he is not worried about reports overwhelming local police departments. 

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Under phase one of Gov. Janet Mills' plan to gradually reopen the state, only some businesses are permitted to reopen.

Those businesses include: 

  • Health care from Maine-licensed providers, with recommendations that they prioritize care for patients with time-sensitive conditions; assure the safety of patients, staff, and communities; manage the use of essential resources such as personal protective equipment and testing supplies; and pace re-opening services to the level of community COVID-19 activity, maintaining capacity in our hospitals for potential outbreaks 
  • Personal services: Barber shops, hair salons, and pet grooming
  • Limited drive-in, stay-in-your-vehicle religious services 
  • Drive-in movie theaters 
  • Outdoor recreation: guided outdoor activities (hunting & fishing) and restricted use of golf and disc golf courses 
  • State parks, state-owned public land trails, and historic sites; although certain coastal state parks will remain closed 
  • Auto dealerships and car washes 

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At NEWS CENTER Maine, we’re focusing our news coverage on the facts and not the fear around the illness. To see our full coverage, visit our coronavirus section, here: /coronavirus

NEWS CENTER Maine Coronavirus Coverage

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