Chicago Police Officers Will Be Required To Wear Masks, Gloves While On Duty Effective Midnight Friday Morning
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Effective at midnight Friday morning, all Chicago Police officers will be required to wear masks and gloves so as to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus.
The order was issued in a memo from First Deputy Supt. Anthony Riccio. Officers must wear the department-issued surgical masks and gloves at all times while on duty, except when they are inside a police facility or a department vehicle.
Commanders are advised to ensure their districts have sufficient supplies.
The order coincides with Gov. JB Pritzker requiring anyone over age 2 and able to medically tolerate a mask or face covering will be required to wear one in public whenever they cannot maintain a safe distance of six feet from other people. The governor has said people don't have to wear a medical mask, but can use bandanas, homemade masks, or some other cloth covering for over their mouth and nose.
"You don't have to wear it at all times if you're going running, jogging outside, or bicycling; but if you encounter a crowd, a public space with a lot of people in it, that's when you will need, are required to put on a face covering," Pritzker said. "And of course going to a grocery store, a pharmacy, where you know you're going to run into other people, we're requiring face coverings in those circumstances also."
Pritzker said people won't be arrested for violating that order, but police should remind people to wear a mask in public if they are seen without a face covering.
