Statewide — Several Indiana Sheriff Departments have made statements that they will not be enforcing the “Mask Mandate”. They each report having received numerous calls, texts, and messages to ask if they planned on arresting citizens for not wearing masks.
Fayette County Sheriff Joey Laughlin, Johnson County Sheriff Duane Burgess, and even the Franklin County Sherriff’s office, among others, have gone public telling citizens not to call 911 or their departments to report non-compliance and that they will not be enforcing the law.
They have each reminded citizens that this doesn’t mean, however, you can go to a store or business and disregard the business’s policies or that you can become disorderly in public when a business asks you put on a mask, or that one should or should not wear a mask.
A business or organization may refuse service to any individual who refuses to wear a mask. Failure to leave when asked could be treated as Criminal Trespass, with legal ramifications. Mayor Josh Marsh from the City of Greensburg recently spoke about this subject stating whatever you think of the state’s right to enforce a mask policy in public, private business owners absolutely have that right. Marsh also agreed that having a mask policy is equivalent to a business owner having the common “No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service” policy.
Governor Eric Holcomb stated in the executive order and in the Wednesday press briefing that though this can carry a fine and is considered a Class B misdemeanor, it is meant to be an educational tool to protect the public.
