NEW YORK (AP) — Police officers in Fort Worth and Denver have stopped arresting people for some low-level crimes.
The district attorney in Brooklyn is declining to prosecute them. And many courthouses across the U.S. are closing their doors, delaying trials and canceling jury duty, as the coronavirus disrupts even the most fundamental pillars of American life.
The disease has the potential to profoundly change law enforcement and jurisprudence in the U.S. Police departments are shifting resources and adjusting priorities in an attempt to maintain public safety while doing their best to prevent infection among officers and suspects.
Courts that have stayed open are relying more on video for arraignments and other proceedings.