(WWJ) Another struggle connected to the COVID-19 pandemic: Identifying criminals while so many people are masked.
Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard says now that it's normal to see everyone inside a business wearing a mask, it makes it tough to ID some suspects.
"Certainly it's made it more challenging because we lose a big chunk of the face, right off the bat that may be immediately identifiable or certainly help someone who goes: 'Oh, I know who that is!'" Bouchard told WWJ Newsradio 950's Dan Jenkins.
"Previously," he added, "if someone walked into a bank or a store with a mask on, you knew that they were going to hold it up, and that would trigger a response almost immediately."
Nowadays, it's a different story.
"When they commit a crime or they get caught on (camera) maybe leaving a store after committing a crime in the store, it captures them with a mask on, and pretty much everybody's wearing a mask... So, you know, it doesn't raise attention to them for wearing it, number one, which in the past it would have," the sheriff said. "And number two, it makes it more challenging to identify."
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So what can businesses do to help?
"One of the best things that we encourage businesses is to invest in a quality camera system. And camera systems have come down in terms of cost for higher resolution, better quality, and that goes a long way."
Even with a mask on, the sheriff said authorities may be able to identify scars, birthmarks, jewelry and tattoos on suspects who get caught on higher quality video.
While Bouchard stressed that he is in favor of mask wearing during the pandemic, the practice has delayed identifying criminals in more cases than normal — and, as a result, there are now more suspects at large.
Meanwhile, although Michigan's virus numbers are improving, state health officials say masks are here to stay for the time being.
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Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy for health at MDHHS, urges everyone statewide to continue to practice preventative measures such as properly wearing masks, social distancing and frequent handwashing to reduce the spread of the virus until the vast majority of people have been vaccinated.
Officials in other places, however, have different plans. On Tuesday, Texas became the biggest U.S. state to announce it is dropping its mask mandate.