Police Told – Go Easy On Businesses Unable To Supply Masks

Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s new shutdown extension related order requires businesses to supply face masks or appropriate face coverings for employees. Businesses that don’t comply with the order face criminal charges. If you’ve tried to buy any, you know it’s not easy.

Attorney General Dana Nessel is now telling the state’s law enforcement departments to go easy. Nessel is telling law enforcement departments that when businesses are able to show they’ve had no success trying to obtain masks, to use reasonable judgement deciding whether to initiate legal charges. At the same time, Nessel is telling employees to bring their own mask or face covering to work.

Here is the text of the Attorney General’s statement:

“I know many business owners around the state are working hard to reopen and comply with the Governor’s Executive Order. Securing appropriate face coverings by the Monday deadline, though, appears to be a difficult task for some businesses given limited supplies. Therefore, I am asking our law enforcement partners around the state to consider the good faith efforts of businesses that have tried, but have been unsuccessful, in obtaining appropriate face coverings when deciding whether to take criminal enforcement action against a non-compliant business. While businesses work diligently to find appropriate face coverings to meet the requirements of the Executive Order, I urge employees that can safely do so to use their own face coverings as protection until businesses provide face coverings as required by the Governor’s order. The Governor’s order requires that each of us – businesses and employees – work together to safely and successfully reopen our economy.  We appreciate the cooperation of law enforcement, employers and employees as we strive to carefully and thoughtfully reopen our state, one step at a time.”