Menifee, all other County cities under 6 p.m. curfew Monday

Story updated at 4:30 p.m. with information that food services may remain open after the curfew and that the new Menifeee Police Department will patrol tonight as an additional police presence.

By Doug Spoon, Editor

A local emergency has been declared for all of Riverside County and a countywide curfew will be in place from 6 p.m. tonight until 6 a.m. Tuesday.

The announcement was made by County Executive Officer and Director of Emergency Services George Johnson on the Riverside County website today. You can read the complete news release here.

The curfew does not apply to those who must travel directly to and from work during those hours, according to the news release. "The curfew is in response to several areas of rioting and looting in Southern California over the weekend, as well as planned protests set to occur today in Riverside County," the news release stated.

In a news release issued by the City of Menifee following the County announcement, it was stated that businesses that are considered essential are not required to close for the curfew. That includes "food service", as defined previously by public health officials. Thus, according to Economic Development Director Gina Gonzalez, local restaurants and grocery stores have been informed they are allowed to stay open for normal business hours tonight.

Gonzalez said some restaurant and store managers have said they plan to close by dark as a precaution, while others may close by the curfew or even before.

A peaceful protest was held in Menifee on Sunday, there have been no reports of violence in the City related to any protests, and there are no reports of protests planned for Menifee tonight. Even so, some businesses closed early on Sunday as a precaution against possible looting and may do so tonight.

In addition to patrols that will be conducted tonight by the Riverside County Sheriff's Department, the newly formed Menifee Police Department will be making patrols in business areas as an added police presence, Gonzalez said. Although the Menifee PD doesn't officially take over law enforcement in the city until July 1, its officers are sworn in and have arresting power, she said.

"Out of respect to the Sheriff's Department, the Menifee Police Department has not previously had a presence, but the decision was made to be at the plazas and doing rotations for an additional presence," Gonzalez said.

Sheriff's Captain Matt Sims told city officials there is no plan at this time to divert local police coverage from Menifee to other cities such as Riverside, where protests are planned, and that "sufficient coverage" will be in Menifee in case of any disturbances.