There was a dramatic decline in the number of arrests in Washoe County in March, according to a data review by the Reno Gazette-Journal.
The newspaper analyzed data from the Washoe County Sheriff's Department.
It shows that average daily bookings dropped by 36 percent when compared to March 2019.
In the second half of the month, when the statewide shutdown of nonessential businesses occurred, they dropped by more than half compared to the first two weeks of the months.
Sheriff Darin Balaam noted that the Washoe County Detention Facility has a little more than 900 inmates, down from the average of 1,100.
Police have been citing and releasing offenders with misdemeanor crimes and deputies have been encouraging residents to pay their fines and “take care” of any warrants, the sheriff said.