Mayor Walker Explains Instruction to Alton Police to Crackdown on Some Violating Illinois Stay-at-Home Order

ALTON - Alton Mayor Brant Walker explained Saturday morning his order to police Friday to crack down on those not following Gov. J.B. Pritzker's Stay-at-Home order for Illinois because of the spread of COVID-19. Mayor Walker said he instructed police to issue citations and said the primary offenders now are youth.

Mayor Walker said the primary place he has observed youth violating the order is at basketball courts such as James H. Killion Park at Salu and Hellrung Park.

"What I said yesterday was there are a lot of kids moving around, primarily at basketball courts," he said. "Parents, keep your kids at home during the stay-at-home order. I have instructed police to discretely write citations. Ninety-five percent of people and businesses in Alton are abiding by the stay-at-home order and have been fantastic. We have boarded up some of the hoops to try to prevent kids from gathering."

Walker said the more people abide by the rules, the quicker statewide and in the Alton area, things will get back to normal.