August 12, 2020
By: Staff Report
MARION COUNTY, Fla. – According to the Ocala Star-Banner, a Gannett owned Newspaper, Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods told his employees they are not to wear masks at work and visitors coming into the Sheriff’s Office can’t wear masks either.
Wood in a memo said, “my order will stand as is when you are on-duty/working as my employee and representing my Office – masks will not be worn.”
@MCSOFlorida sent an email out to his deputies ordering them not to wear masks on the job (a couple or exceptions). He also says no one can wear masks in his lobby. @fox35orlando pic.twitter.com/CCIZWeTNrt
— Holly Bristow (@hollybnews) August 12, 2020
The Star-Banner reported that Woods has made some exceptions for officers to wear masks while working at the courthouse, the jail, in public schools, in hospitals, and in dealing with people suspected of being infected with COVID-19 or at high risk of complications from the disease.
“For all of these exceptions, the moment that enforcement action is to be taken and it requires you to give an individual orders/commands to comply, the mask will be immediately removed,” Woods said.
“As for special details and/or any special events (paid or not), masks will not be worn. Effective immediately the entity that has requested and has hired a deputy for a special detail will be given clear instruction by Darian Tucker at the time of their written request that masks will not be worn (unless one of the exceptions above applies). In addition, if you are the special detail deputy you will again advise the contact person that a mask will not be worn by you,” according to the email.
Wood added that if anyone confronts an employee about them not wearing mask, the employee should “politely and professionally tell them I am not required to wear a mask nor will I, per the Order of the Sheriff,” and walk away.
“From that point on it will be my burden and responsibility to take care of the person and answer their problem, complaint or their question,” Woods said.
Woods said, “effective immediately, any individual walking in to any one of our lobbies (which includes the main office and all district offices) that is wearing a mask will be asked to remove it.”
He added, “in light of the current events when it comes to the sentiment and/or hatred toward law enforcement in our country today, this is being done to ensure there is clear communication and for identification purposes of any individual walking into a lobby.”
“We can debate and argue all day of why and why not. The fact is, the amount of professionals that give the reason why we should, I can find the exact same amount of professionals that say why we shouldn’t. Since the beginning of this pandemic the operation of this office has not changed and no wearing of masks has been put in place,” he said.