‘VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE’

‘Limited Resources’: L.A. Sheriff Says He Won’t Enforce New Mask Rules

Sheriff Alex Villanueva said the rule change wasn’t backed by science, citing the CDC’s own guidance.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff wants nothing to do with the county health department’s new guidance on masks. Sheriff Alex Villanueva said Friday his department would not enforce new guidance urging people to wear masks indoors regardless of vaccination status. It’s “not backed by science and contradicts the [CDC] guidelines,” he wrote. “The underfunded/defunded Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department will not expend our limited resources and instead ask for voluntary compliance.” The sheriff's department’s budget stands at around $3.4 billion, which Villanueva has criticized for not being enough to fight a rise in crime.

Health officials in L.A. reimplemented mask guidance on Thursday amid an alarming rise in COVID cases due to the Delta variant. The order goes into effect Saturday night.