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Please note!
This fact brief was originally published as an experiment to test the concepts behind fact briefs.
Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of useful information in fact briefs like this one, not all of them reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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FACT BRIEF

Are police required to wear masks by the federal government?

By Lisa Freedland
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NO

There is no federal policy requiring law enforcement officers to wear masks on the job.

The Centers for Disease Control recommends law enforcement personnel wear masks if they are exposed to someone with COVID-19 and continue to work or if they are entering a structure where someone has died and the suspected cause is COVID-19.

Some larger cities, including Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago are requiring police officers to wear masks in most circumstances and disciplining them when they fail to comply. Other cities are not enforcing such protocols, even exempting officers from public mask mandates.

Police issues expert David A. Harris told Associated Press that "it's reasonable to expect police to wear masks during more routine work" while acknowledging that the masks can obstruct an officer's vision and breathing.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Centers for Disease Control FAQs for Law Enforcement Agencies and Personnel
AP News Rules about police wearing masks vary widely across US
Los Angeles Times LAPD officers are supposed to wear masks. They keep getting caught without them
NBC News Unvaccinated NYPD officers must wear masks or face discipline
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTOR
Gigafact
Between 2020 and 2022, under close editorial supervision, Gigafact contracted a group of freelance writers and editors to test the concepts for fact briefs and provide inputs to our software development process. We call this effort Gigafact Foundry. Over the course of these two years, Gigafact Foundry writers published over 1500 fact briefs in response to claims they found online. Their important work forms the basis of Gigafact formats and editorial guidelines, and is available to the public on Gigafact.org. Readers should be aware that while there is still a lot of relevant information to be found, not all fact briefs produced by Gigafact Foundry reflect Gigafact's current methods and standards for fact briefs. If you come across any that you feel are out of date and need to be looked at with fresh eyes, don't hesitate to contact us at support@gigafact.org.
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.