Columbus police enforce state wide mask order

Columbus police chief said officers are ready to answer calls if people aren't wearing masks inside businesses.

Columbus police are out tonight enforcing the state wide mask mandate.

Many cities are asking businesses to enforce this but not columbus.

Wtva alexis jones went there to find out how police are handling calls during this pandemic.

I'm outside of columbus' police station where i spoke with the chief.

He said officers are ready to answer calls if people aren't wearing masks inside businesses.

Pkg: sot: "when we get a complaint about someone not in compliance, we go in and investigate.

And if we need to issue a citation, we will issue a citation."

If someone isn't wearing a mask, the columbus police chief says you need to call police.

If its the person's first offence, officers will give him or her a warning.

Any time after that, police will give a citation from 300 dollars to 1000 dollars.

Police chief fred shelton said officers haven't had many people who didn't listen to them the first time.

"generally people are in compliance.

Once we remind them of the ordinance, they voluntarily put the mask on."

City leaders issued a mask mandate because the total number of coronavirus cases rose to 1,023 in lowndes county.

Now that mandate is statewide.

Chief shelton said it is crucial because it can help slow down the spread of the coronavirus.

"when we are out in public, if we can reduce our chance of people getting, getting positive cases by simply wearing a mask then i think it is well worth the fight."

Tag: chief shelton stressed again, if businesses are having a hard time with a customer to please call the police instead of taking matter into their own hands.

In columbus.

Alexis jones.

Wtva 9 news