As tensions boil over masking policies, one Colorado school district has called for more police presence.  

Eagle County will increase police presence at schools in an effort to “ease tensions” related to new guidelines, requiring masks indoors for students, staff, and visitors in grades pre-K through 8. Masks are also recommended for grades 9-12. 

A press release from the local sheriff’s office says more police officers will be present at Eagle County School District schools on Monday “due to the tensions in the community, related to the new mask guidelines.”

Deputies will focus on making sure learning environments aren’t disrupted versus policing mask-wearing.

“The sheriff’s office is aiming to have at least one deputy at most of the middle and elementary schools,” Amber Barrett, a spokesperson for the Eagle County Sheriff’s Office, told the Denver Post on Sunday.

“Our goal is the same as yours, getting our children back to school safely,” the press release continues. “Law enforcement is requesting that persons who are wishing to express their opinions not interfere or interrupt the freedom of movement and the functions of the schools.”

With schools reopening across the country, new masks mandates are creating a mix of emotions. 

In California, one parent allegedly attacked a teacher following a mask dispute on the very first day of school. 

While masks are no longer required in schools under the state’s public health order, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) still recommends wearing a mask in public. Local public health agencies may enact their own mask policies, as well as schools and districts. 

As of Monday, August 16, the CDPHE reported 811 cases of the coronavirus across the state, with 85 percent of ICU hospital beds currently in use.

Eagle County, home to the mountain towns of Vail, Basalt, and Avon, is located in west-central Colorado.

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