The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020. In order to curb the spread of the coronavirus throughout Nevada, Governor Steve Sisolak issued a statewide stay-at-home order on April 1, requiring residents to stay at home and nonessential businesses to close until further notice.

Since many businesses are closed and people are not out as much, the Reno Police Department reported a significant decrease in crime due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Between March 13 and April 14, there has been a slight reduction in violent crimes and sex crimes. During the same period in 2019, there were 258 calls to police about violent crimes and sex crimes compared to 228 calls in 2020.

Additionally, there has been a drop in property crimes. Last year, the department received 532 calls related to property crimes between March and April, while there have been 100 fewer calls this year.

However, several different domestic violence nonprofits claimed to receive a substantial increase in abuse calls. Some of them even said that there has been a 50-percent rise in calls.

Because residents are forced to stay inside their homes all day and every day, the 24-hour news cycle of negative news, unemployment, and the stress of supporting the family, these factors combined could lead to a spike in domestic violence incidents. Although the Reno police department understands how serious domestic violence cases can be, they have not experienced an increase in such calls.

Being accused of domestic violence is a serious issue since there is a mandatory arrest law in Nevada. If you are facing domestic violence allegations in Reno, the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Stover is ready to protect your rights and freedom during this trying and uncertain time.

Contact us today to learn more about our legal services. Get a former prosecutor with more than two decades of experience on your side!