Police officers in Manchester, New Hampshire, are now required to wear a face mask, protective gloves and glasses in public, a move that the chief said is part of an effort to protect his force as well as the public from the coronavirus.
The department’s nearly 250 officers started carrying the three pieces of personal protective equipment on Friday, a day after the chief issued the order.
“We’re watching numbers. We’re seeing things increase,” said Chief Carlo Capano. “We’re seeing things from other states, as far as numbers increasing, and I just felt that this was a time that we need to have our officers start doing this.”
Capano said the department already has its own stockpile of N95 masks, which have surged in popularity amid the pandemic and are now difficult to find in stores or online.
Capano said his officers also carry hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes.
