No Denver businesses called police about mask order

On the first day of Denver’s mandatory mask requirement, city officials received 18 calls from members of the public regarding businesses not complying with the new mandate. But no business owners reported any shoppers for not wearing masks.

The initial numbers from Wednesday, courtesy of Denver’s Joint Information Center, showed the Mile High City has thus far not encountered the chaotic response seen in some cities after mask orders went into effect — at least not enough to generate calls to the authorities.

Mayor Michael Hancock’s order states anyone going into a business must be wearing a face mask. Businesses have been instructed to tell people without masks to leave or otherwise not serve them. Individuals can call 311 to file a complaint about a person not complying with the order, and if the situation escalates to physical intimidation or assault, the city urges people to call 911.

Here’s the breakdown of calls received by Denver officials about the mask mandate on its first day:

•28 cases or calls in which citizens were asking about the details of the mask mandate.

• Eight cases where people were asking or calling about permitted health exceptions to wearing a mask. Two of those people were denied entry to a business.

•18 cases in which a citizen was reporting a business for not complying with the mask mandate.

• Three cases in which a citizen was reporting another citizen for not wearing a mask on the street or in the park. (Denver’s order does not require masks be worn outdoors.)

• No cases in which a business reported an individual citizen for not wearing a mask .