OCALA – Marion County Sheriff Billy Woods has banned masks for all deputies and visitors to the sheriff’s office.
Sheriff Woods has instructed staff not to wear masks while on duty and said that any public visitors to the sheriff’s office, which currently employs about 900 people, should be told that masks are banned. Anyone who doesn’t want to remove their mask will be told to leave, according to a memo written by Woods.
“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,” Woods wrote.
On the Bob Rose Show, Woods explained further that to protect deputies, staff and visitors, masks will be banned to maintain safety and help prosecutions.
Woods cited anti-police sentiment as one reason for the new ban, saying someone could enter the sheriff’s office and be unidentifiable with a mask. He said if a person comes into the sheriff’s office with the intent to commit harm, “I have no way of identifying them. Justice will not be served.”
Woods wrote, “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.”