Arrests are down. Is it because of fears over the coronavirus?

As bookings in Broward and Palm Beach counties plummet, pandemic concerns may be the reason

The coronavirus is not only keeping workers and school kids home, but also criminals.

This past weekend, 90 men and women were booked into Broward County jail for various misdeeds from attempted murder to unlawful possession of ammunition.

For many communities in the country that would be a disastrous weekend of mayhem, but for

Broward County, 90 arrests is generally just getting the weekend started.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reviewed weekend arrests from Broward and Palm Beach counties’ jail databases, finding a significant drop in people being jailed. And while agencies haven’t reported any signs of looting, deputies are conducting extra patrols at businesses that were ordered closed.

From Feb. 28 through March 1, a

Sunday, there were 263 people arrested and booked in the Broward County jail. By the following weekend when the coronavirus was just beginning to take shape in South Florida, the number of arrests went down 16 percent.

By the end of this past weekend, when many businesses were closed, 90 people were arrested in Broward. That’s a 66% drop from the 263 people arrested just three weeks ago.

So what gives?

Could the coronavirus scare make us take pause on what’s important — and we’re not just talking about toilet paper? Could the crackdown on public gatherings and the closure of bars be the trick? Or could it be that it’s just too risky to break into someone’s house because in all likelihood, a would-be, daytime burglar would find a misplaced worker or two and possibly a house full of kids going stir crazy?

“D. All of the above, ” said Broward Sheriff Gregory Tony.

There’s another factor. Tony said he has expressed to his command staff the importance of using discretion when it comes to making physical arrests and putting people in jail during this pandemic.

More arrests puts more people in close contact with one another in jail. Putting low-risk offenders in jail poses a threat to the overall jail population, those who work there and health care workers. He said deputies are encouraged to write civil citations in cases where that would be acceptable.

“A civil citation, notice to appear still does hold them accountable,” he said.

The communities in Palm Beach County also saw a drop in arrests, though to a far lesser extent than Broward.

Last weekend there were 136 arrests, which is down by 40 arrests — or 22 percent from the previous weekend when 176 people were arrested.

And when you compare the start of the month to this weekend, there was a 32 percent decrease in arrests.

Teri Barbera, a spokeswoman for the Palm Beach County Sheriff ’s Office, said it’s hard to say why the number of arrests are down but perhaps it is as simple as people behaving themselves.

Protect your business

The Broward Sheriff’s Office offers these tips for businesses that are closed:

■ Conduct a thorough safety and security walk around of the business making sure all access points are locked and secured.

■ Ensure that all windows and doorways are free of any obstruction that would block the view of the business.

■ Make sure the security system is operational and in working condition. If you have a monitoring service make sure it is active and the contact numbers are updated.

■ Ensure all lighting is in working order and properly lit, particularly at night.

■ Request an extra patrol of your business from the local law enforcement agency of your business.