Questions asked about mask mandate, but no tickets given in Rock Hill, Chester -- yet
Rock Hill police have dealt with some confusion among residents over where people are required to wear masks within York County.
The Rock Hill City Council passed a mandate requiring residents wear masks in public inside city limits. The rule took effect July 10 and lasts until Sept. 10.
However, last week, the York County Council voted against a proposed countywide mandate that would have required residents wear masks in unincorporated areas. That has left some residents unable to discern where masks are required.
For example, in the business corridors on Cherry Road, Celanese Road and Anderson Road, side-by-side businesses can be either in the city or the county. Rock Hill police have had to tell people who complain about residents not wearing masks that some of those businesses are not within the city, said Lt. Michael Chavis of the Rock Hill Police Department.
Rock Hill police have received calls related to the mask mandate at stores, and at least one restaurant on Celanese Road. However when police checked, they found the locations were outside the city, Chavis said.
“We had to tell people that the business was outside of our jurisdiction and we could not do anything about it,” Chavis said.
Rock Hill police have not given any tickets or warnings related the city’s mask requirement and have received very few calls, Chavis said.
“We are pleased that it seems that people are following the ordinance,” Chavis said.
In recent weeks, Rock Hill, the City of York and Fort Mill have all enforced mask requirements within municipal limits.
Along with the York County Council, the Clover Town Council also voted against a mask requirement.
York County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Trent Faris said deputies have no jurisdiction enforcing the mandates in the municipalities.
“Those ordinances are only within those limits of those places,” Faris said. “It’s a city or town issue. Not a county enforcement issue.”
In the City of York, where the mask mandate took effect July 21, police are using this week to educate residents on the requirement and have not issued any warnings or citations, said Capt. Brian Trail with the York Police Department.
Starting Tuesday, officers will issue written warnings to offenders who refuse to comply with the requirement, Trail said. If the warning is unheeded, a ticket will be issued, Trail said.
“We haven’t had any problems with the public understanding the ordinance so far and hope we can continue to educate them,” Trail said.
The Fort Mill Police Department has not issued any warnings or tickets since the mask requirement started on July 8, said Maj. Bryan Zachary with the Fort Mill Police Department.
Like Rock Hill and York, Fort Mill is surrounded by unincorporated areas of York County. Zachary said police have not had any documented calls related to confusion over the mandate.
In June, the City of Chester was the first area municipality to pass a mask requirement. Chester Police Department officers have not issued any tickets, said Chester Police Department Chief Eric Williams.
Officers have been able to explain the ordinance to people who are not wearing masks without issuing any tickets, Williams said.
“People seem to be doing their part in Chester and wearing a mask where it is required by this ordinance,” Williams said.
Chester County has not enacted a countywide mask ordinance. Neither Lancaster County nor the City of Lancaster have a mask requirement.
This story was originally published July 27, 2020 at 3:22 PM.
