Santa Monica Face Masks: Special Operation Yields 3 Citations

SANTA MONICA, CA — Santa Monica officials are stepping it up and approaching people in public who are not wearing masks or wearing them incorrectly, city officials told Patch Wednesday.

A Santa Monica police operation to enforce face masks in public and businesses last Thursday yielded three citations and 20 contacts, meaning people who were either asked to wear a mask properly or keep wearing it before their food arrived while dining outdoors.

People were advised to continue wearing masks in public and at local businesses, making sure that noses and mouths are covered.

"If someone is enjoying outdoor dining before their food arrives, they too need to be wearing their face covering," Constance Farrell, the city's spokesperson, told Patch.

Last week, city officials announced that non-mask wearers would be fined $100 for not wearing a face covering or mask in public.

"We'll be doing targeted enforcement for face coverings in business districts and parks in Santa Monica. Save your health and $100 by masking up," the city announced on its Instagram page.

With coronavirus cases on the rise across California, local municipalities in July started to crack down on residents who flout the statewide requirement that they wear masks while in public.

In Santa Monica, a new health order was announced in July to emphasize how important it was for the community to wear face coverings or masks. The order outlines the requirement for people to wear face coverings while in public, and for businesses to enforce the requirement for employees and customers.

The revised Santa Monica order sets fines for violators at $100 for a first violation, $250 for a second violation and $500 for a third. For businesses, the fines start at $500, increasing to $750 for a second violation and $1,000 for a third.

Gov. Gavin Newsom—who made face coverings mandatory across the state on June 18—announced a "major public awareness campaign" about the requirement. The campaign, backed by $10.75 million in donations, features a series public service announcements in a variety of languages.

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This article originally appeared on the Santa Monica Patch