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NYC Has Its Nicest Day of the Year Today—So NYPD Deployed 1,000 Officers

“We encourage people to come out and enjoy this weather," the NYPD chief said, before reminding residents they “cannot gather” or they will face a summons.

As New York City enjoys its first true spring day on Saturday, police have deployed 1,000 officers to ensure residents abide by social distancing guidelines. “We encourage people to come out and enjoy this weather,” NYPD Chief Terence Monahan told NBC News, before reminding residents they “cannot gather” amid COVID-19 or they will face a summons. “You cannot barbecue. We're going to give you a summons. There have been enough warnings.” To ensure residents follow the state’s public health order, the NYPD has deployed bike and mounted units on horseback to patrol parks, as well as aviation teams that can spot problem zones for officers on the ground. Monahan said that while officers will be out patrolling New Yorkers on the sunny Saturday, they will not issue summonses for people who don’t have face masks and will instead be handing out cloth masks to those who need them. “The vast majority of times people have complied,” he added. “But there’s been some people who think they can do whatever they want. They endanger my cops; they endanger each other.”