Police Department Will Be Vigilant for Watch Parties

Chester Williams

At the close of polls on elections day, supporters of both major political parties, as well as those rooting for other candidates, would traditionally gather at various locations in anticipation of the results.  Those watch parties are often loud and celebratory and they usually go well past midnight.  With a curfew in effect from eight p.m. to five a.m., we asked ComPol Williams what measures will be taken by the police department to deter such gatherings, notwithstanding an existing restriction on movement.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“We do anticipate that there may be watch parties and people will go to other people’s homes and the truth is that we don’t have time to go and check everybody’s house to ensure that whoever is at a home are the persons who reside there.  But we would expect that our people are going to be prudent enough to understand that to try to stay within your sphere with your immediate family members and do not invite persons from outside your household to be a part of the watch party.  We do not want that after the elections process is over, we have a large number of persons who are infected as a result of what may have happened during elections night.  So we just ask our people to please abide by the rules and it is not only to do it for others, but for yourselves.  Try as much as you can to protect yourself from contracting the COVID-19 virus.”