CDA Police Chief Lee White talking about enforcement of a CDA mask ordinance/mandate. "With the previous mandate from Panhandle Health much of our enforcement was education. Informing people that there was a mask mandate. Zero citations were issued."
"We had over 200 calls come into our dispatch center..."
"We are in a different position than we were then. I think most people have made up their minds whether they are going to wear a mask or not. So my big question today is, If this passes what is the will of council? Do you want us to enforce this by issuing citations? Or do you prefer that we continue educating and warn people about it?" "What is the will of council? We will do what the council wants."
CDA Mayor Steve Widmeyer says, "I still favor the education piece." "I think we are going to have to look to some of these businesses that don't have their employees wear masks..." "We are going to look at egregious offenders. When you have issues multiple warnings and they just aren't going to comply. That's when you issue the citation."
"We have states on either side of us that have state wide mask mandates. If we have people from Washington and Montana that are already used to wearing a mask. If they know we have a mask mandate, they will put on a mask."
"With a mandate we will have more masking, it won't be perfect and not everyone will do it." It is not our intention to give tickets or arrest anyone. Arresting anyone is not going to happen to anyone in the city of Couer d'Alene not wearing a mask."