Who enforces the coronavirus mask order on the MS Coast? It’s complicated.
The burden of enforcing mask mandates at retails shops and other businesses in Harrison and Jackson counties falls on business owners.
“The only thing I can enforce is what is going on in the courthouse and in the jail,” Harrison County Sheriff Peterson said. “The store owners are policing themselves and if they wish to sign charges, then we will get involved.”
Gov. Tate Reeves issued an executive order that requires the use of masks in 13 counties, including Harrison and Jackson. All 13 counties have experienced COVID-19 spikes, either reporting 200 or more cases over 14 days or an average of 500 cases per 100,000 people.
Anyone violating the mandate could face a fine of up $500 or spend six months in jail.
“If the owner signs charges, they could be looking at a trespassing charge,” Peterson said. “But I don’t see us issuing any tickets. If somebody doesn’t want to wear a mask, we are going to ask them to leave a facility and that is the same thing the store owners are doing.”
Restaurant workers are also required to wear masks, and, in some cases, Ocean Springs Police Chief Mark Dunston said, police have had to go out to remind business owners of the mandate, but he said that has been rare.
Pass Christian Mayor Chipper McDermott said his city doesn’t have enough police officers to monitor mask use.
“We have three officers on patrols and I can’t pull them off to look for people who aren’t wearing a mask,” he said. “We keep masks at all the city buildings. If someone needs a mask, we’ll give them one.”
Officials in Harrison and Jackson counties say the majority of people are wearing masks and are not putting up a fuss about it, although some people still refuse to do so and are being asked to leave businesses.
“I’m seeing everybody mostly wearing a mask,” Peterson said. “I think I told two people at the Biloxi courthouse to get a mask and both went to their vehicles and got their masks and didn’t say anything negative.”
Reeves has acknowledged that the state has too few law enforcement officers to monitor and enforce the mandate. Reeves said the state has 3 million residents and 300 state troopers.
The mandate requires masks while shopping or in social gatherings of 20 or more. It is in force in the 13 counties through July 20 and possibly longer if case numbers remain high.
On Thursday, the state Health Department reported a single day record of 1,230 new coronavirus cases in Mississippi, with another day of double digit increases in the number of COVID-19 cases in Jackson and Harrison counties.
Local authorities say they won’t be surprised if the mask mandate is extended or expanded to include some of the other six southern-most counties as the number of case continue to climb.
This story was originally published July 17, 2020 at 5:50 AM.
