Two Arizona sheriffs refused to enforce an extended stay-at-home order recommended by Governor Doug Ducey as coronavirus cases in the state hit 8,640.

Sheriff Doug Schuster of Mohave County and Sheriff Mark Lamb of Pinal County said they would both speak with citizens who step out of their homes. Still, they would not hand out penalties, citations, or arrest people.

In an interview with a local TV station, Schuster said he refuses to issue citations or arrest people for not following social distancing protocols.

"I'm not going to make criminals out of law-abiding citizens," he said.

Pinal County's Sheriff Lamb believes the current COVID-19 situation is unfortunate but claims he "needs to stand for the people and freedom." He echoed Schuster's stand in refusing to cite, fine, or arrest residents.

Governor Doug Ducey announced the consequences for violating his self-isolation orders would include a $2,500 fine and up to half a year in prison.

The two sheriffs clarified they are not encouraging the people to go against the order. They only "feel compelled" to protect people's rights and uphold the constitution.

Mohave County is located in the northwestern part of Arizona. Pinal County is just south of Phoenix. Maricopa and Pima, the state's most populous counties, have the most reported COVID-19 cases.

Petition

A group of residents calling themselves Arizonans for Liberty filed a petition with the office of the Arizona Secretary of State following Governor Ducey's extended coronavirus mitigation protocol. Josh Barnett, a Republican congressional candidate, also supported the filing of the recall petition.

According to the recall petition, the activists claimed the governor violated his oath by issuing an unconstitutional order. He allegedly enforced unequal laws on the state's citizens and businesses. He was also unable to address the residents' concerns.

Petitioners would need a total of 594,000 signatures within 120 days to hold a special recall election.

Ducey's recent mandate extended the lockdown protocols until May 15. Some retail establishments are allowed to resume operations. Restaurants are also allowed to reopen with a limited seating capacity partially.

Ducey defended his decision to extend the quarantine measures, saying the medical data did not support reopening the state's economy. "It's 15 more days," he said. "I'm asking for some patience."

Coronavirus Tally

The state surpassed the 8,500 marks on Sunday after health officials recorded 276 new COVID-19 cases and 14 fatalities. The state now has 8,640 cases and 362 deaths caused by the global pandemic.

The state has given out 81,119 tests-nine percent came back positive. More than 76 percent of all fatalities involved residents ages 65 and older.

The state is ramping up its testing using a program called Arizona Testing Blitz. The program aims to test over 20,000 residents for COVID-19 within the next three weekends. All residents who suspect they may have been infected will be attended to under the plan.

The coronavirus testing program will be available in six counties-including Maricopa, Pima, Yuma, Yavapai, Coconino, and Mohave. Residents are required to pre-register to avoid crowds and long waiting lines. Select local clinics will also open testing for their current patients.

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