The OCU police department will encourage students to follow the university’s safety guidelines, but will not issue citations for not wearing a mask.
Major Dexter Nelson, OCU Police Chief, said although masks are required at OCU in shared spaces and anywhere social distancing is difficult, campus police cannot issue citations for those in violation of the policy.
“It’s important for everybody to know we’re the police department, but we’re not the mask department,” Nelson said. “We won’t be trying to issue citations for people who aren’t wearing masks.”
Oklahoma City Council approved an emergency public safety order requiring face coverings in indoor places on July 17. Those in violation who refuse to wear a mask will receive a $9 fine for first and second offenses, and up to a $100 fine for third and subsequent offenses.
Nelson said although Oklahoma City citizens are subject to fines by the city, because the campus police are commissioned by the Oklahoma state department of law enforcement, they do not have the authority to fine students on campus.
“The mayor’s mandate is a municipal mandate, and we can’t write municipal tickets. We can write state tickets, so if the state government issues a mask mandate we can issue a ticket for not wearing a mask, but as it stands right now we can’t,” Nelson said.
Although police cannot fine students for not wearing a mask, Nelson said officers still plan on enforcing the policy in other ways.
“Anybody not wearing a mask will be asked to put one on,” Nelson said. “If a student isn’t wearing one, that will be reported to student affairs and can be dealt with by possibly holding off grades or telling a student they can’t come back to class without one. If a faculty or staff member won’t wear one, that will be reported to HR and dealt with by possibly suspending them or docking their pay.”
Nelson said if a student refuses to wear a mask, they will be asked to leave the building. Campus police may be called if someone refuses to leave or put on a mask.
“We’ll explain, ‘if you don’t want to wear a mask that’s your prerogative, but that doesn’t mean you’re allowed to come in here not wearing a mask and possibly infect others,’” Nelson said. “If they refuse to leave, they’ll be subjected to trespassing charges. If they still refuse to leave, the only other option we would have would be to take them physically into custody, not for not wearing a mask, but for refusing to leave. That would be the extreme case.”
Jacob Harrell, English and religious education junior, said he doesn’t think enforcing masks will get to the point of arrest.
“I would like to believe that the culture at OCU is kind enough to want to protect other students and professors,” Harrell said. “That’s my hope and my prayer for the school year.”
Harrell also said he appreciates the policies in place but worries about containing the virus on campus.
“I’m a high risk student, and the school has done a lot to try to protect me, but it’s all kind of coming to light that a lot of these policies and procedures might not be followed by all of the students. I’m terrified every single day when I see a clump of people walking around together,” he said.
Addison Saviers, religious education senior, said she encountered a student not wearing mask in the Methodist Hall laundry room.
“I said, ‘hey did you know OCU requires everyone to wear a mask in shared spaces? Could you please put on one,’” Saviers said. “She ignored me, so I told her it made me feel uncomfortable and unsafe, and the student said she doesn’t like wearing masks because they’re itchy and uncomfortable.”
Saviers said she removed herself from the situation by leaving the room.
“It was really shocking to me because if someone says they feel unsafe or uncomfortable in a situation and it’s not an inconvenience for the other person to do what they’re asking, I think that should be respected. I didn’t know what to do in that situation,” she said.
Saviers said she doesn’t think students are taking the university’s face covering policy seriously.
“I don’t think people will follow it because they’re already not following it,” Saviers said. “OCU has sent numerous emails and has created videos on how to be safe on campus, and I still witness people not social distancing or wearing masks, which is an OCU rule.”
Despite her concerns, Saviers said she remains hopeful.
“I am really hopeful if all students work together, we really can keep the Covid levels down on campus, but it has to be a group effort,” she said.
Nelson also said a group effort is required to keep campus safe.
“One thing that has really caused a lot of law enforcement concern is the divide the virus has caused amongst the public to wear a mask or not wear a mask, and how it’s causing people to pit people against each other,” he said. “What seems like a reason to keep others safe has become so political. What we’re asking everyone on campus is for everyone to protect everyone else.”
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