How should a deputy respond when they observe an individual disobeying the state’s mask mandate?

The Weld County Sheriff’s Office asked residents that question Wednesday on social media after receiving dozens of calls each day about the lack of enforcement.

“It’s gotten to the point that we wanted to just find out what people think. We want to try and educate the public who are saying enforce it and educate them in why we can’t,” said Joe Moylan the public information officer for the sheriff’s department. 

But officials never anticipated the number of responses that the post on Facebook and Twitter would receive. More than 1,500 were made on Facebook alone. 

Moylan said some of the comments were positive about the current enforcement policies, while others were negative and encouraged fining and even arresting individuals. 

“Charge them,” wrote Darren Keith on Facebook.

“Deal with REAL crimes,” said Samantha Scraggs. 

And while many of the comments were primarily for or against enforcement, some took the opportunity to further the discussion.

“I think it’s a good opportunity to have a discussion and explain, as you work for us, why it’s implemented and its importance,” The Achenbach wrote on Facebook. 

Moylan said a majority of the confusion has arisen because of statements from government officials inferring it’s forcible by criminal law. 

“It’s forcible by law, but not criminal law,” Moylan said. “Unless there’s been a state law passed by the state legislation, we can’t do anything.”

Officials from the Weld County Sheriff’s Office say that they are taking the opportunity to create a public education campaign around the issue. 

“We poised the question to kind of understand where people’s heads were at before we embark on (this education campaign), so that we can best convey what we can and cannot do,” Moylan said.