MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Milledgeville Police Chief Dray Swicord has expressed deep concern over college parties and the risk of continued community spread of COVID-19.

Since classes resumed at Georgia College, the numbers of those infected with COVID-19 on campus have climbed, according to information released from college officials.

“The parties are no different than normal,” Swicord told The Union-Recorder during an interview earlier this week. “Obviously, we’re dealing with a different situation now that we’re involved in a health crisis, but as far as the parties, they are no more or less than they usually are.”

The biggest party that police officers have encountered in the city thus far this semester happened a little more than a week ago.

The party took place Thursday, Aug. 11, at a house on Montgomery Street.

“Officers went there because we had received a complaint about the social distancing issue,” Swicord said. “There were a couple hundred students at that party.”

Social distancing is recommended by health experts with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as the Georgia Department of Public Health to prevent virus spread.

“Obviously, we made them aware of the social distancing issue, hoping that they would abide by it,” Swicord said.

Swicord was asked what happens if college students and others don’t abide by that recommendation.

 “Well, that’s a million-dollar question,” Swicord said. “The governor has given us a state code that we can write someone a state citation. And that would go to Baldwin County State Court for prosecution.”

As of yet, officers with the Milledgeville Police Department have not written a citation to anyone for violating the social distancing code.

“It could certainly come to that,” Swicord said. “These are unchartered waters that we’ve never been through before.”

During the shelter-in-place order issued by the governor during the early portion of the pandemic, Swicord said neither the city nor Baldwin County Sheriff Bill Massee issued any citations.

“We just wanted everyone to comply with the order,” Swicord said.

The veteran police chief said the hope is that students and others will abide by the guidelines outlined in Gov. Brian Kemp’s executive officer, along with the recommendations passed along to the public from health experts.

Milledgeville City Council approved a new ordinance in a called meeting on Friday afternoon outlying face mask requirements for anyone in public within the city limits.

Earlier this week, the Baldwin County Board of Commissioners reinstated a face mask mandate for anyone going inside county-owned buildings. They attempted a county-wide face mask mandate, but it was defeated in a 3-2 vote.

Swicord said he didn’t want his officers to get into a confrontation with anyone over wearing face masks.

“We’re going to continue to be professional, courteous, as diplomatic as we can be about this thing,” Swicord said. “If the college would get on board and say, look guys, we can carry you in front of a disciplinary board and possibly expel you from school if you don’t comply.”

When officers have complaints about social distancing or any other calls related to the enforcement of local or state mandates, if it comes to such, Swicord said his officers will do everything within their power to educate those involved from a safety standpoint.

“When you start mandating stuff, you’re only going to cause physical confrontation,” Swicord said.

He said he doesn’t believe the COVID-19 pandemic will end anytime soon.

“It could even come to another shutdown of our businesses,” Swicord added. “And when things shut down again, most of these college students are going to stay in these apartments and houses and become a nuisance to us or the community.”

Swicord said it is a little funny to him to ride by Georgia College and see all of the students wearing masks, which is a requirement, and then see the same students downtown without their masks.

“People are just fed up with the coronavirus and they are basically saying, ‘It is what it is,’” Swicord said. “That’s really not a wise way to take it because what is happening is that it’s not these young people getting sick and ending up in the hospital. They are taking it back to their parents, their grandparents, and others where there are elderly people. And if you think about it, Baldwin County has become basically a retirement community. That’s the issue.”