No curfew citations — so far

Violators face fines up to $1,000 in countywide effort to stem COVID spread

There were few reports of violations on the first night of the new temporary curfew throughout Bexar County and no citations were issued, officials said Friday.

The curfew, which started Thursday night and continues until Monday morning as part of the effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, prohibits social gatherings of people not from the same household, either in public or in private, between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.

Violators face fines of up to $1,000.

Restaurants and bars must stop dine-in service, including patio seating, at 10 p.m. and can’t start again until 6 a.m., an hour after the curfew ends. Drive-thru and takeout are allowed.

Residents can still make nighttime visits to essential and nonessential businesses not affected by the curfew, such as movie theaters and bingo halls, said Michael Shannon, director of the city’s development services department.

“Those are allowed to stay open,” Shannon said, adding, however, “they still have to follow all the rules.”

The rules include wearing face masks when not eating or drinking and maintaining at least 6 feet of social distance from others not of your household.

Officials received about 19 calls for possible violations after the curfew went into effect at 10 p.m. Thursday, Shannon said. But, he added, “some of them were not even for businesses that needed to shut down.”

Some callers reported gatherings at private homes that, upon investigation, weren’t exceeding the 10-person limit.

Gatherings in private households are limited to 10 people even after the curfew ends Monday morning, he added, noting that has been a restriction since the summer.

Officers mainly investigate gatherings at private residences when tips come in from neighbors suspicious of what they see as a large party. Officers also stop to investigate if they see what looks to be a large gathering when driving by, Shannon said.

To date, a majority of calls reporting a possible violation have ended up with nothing out of

compliance. About 82 percent of the 16,838 calls recorded since March didn’t pan out, according to data from the city’s website.

Of the 3,057 calls where a violation was observed, most have received warnings. About 300 citations have been issued, 108 of those for people not wearing masks where it’s required.

Mayor Ron Nirenberg and County Judge Nelson Wolff signed orders with similar wording Wednesday, meaning the curfew affects all residents of Bexar County, including San Antonio, suburban cities and unincorporated areas.

Enforcement of the orders is carried out by several city departments — including code enforcement, parking enforcement, Metropolitan Health District and San Antonio Police Department — as well as by Bexar County officers.

Each night the team on duty responds to calls and makes random checks of places that have had previous violations or where someone reported violations as well as in parts of the city that haven’t yet been visited by officers.

To report a violation, call 210-207-7273.