'Only human': Police officer's Covid lockdown fail divides opinion
A Queensland Police officer has been criticised for failing to wear a mask inside a bakery north of Brisbane.
Video obtained and shared on Sydney Crime News WorldStar's TikTok account shows the officer walking inside the Mango Hill Bakery in the Moreton Bay region about 11am on Wednesday.
He purchases something but isn’t wearing a mask. Staff behind the counter are seen wearing masks.
“Queensland Police at its finest,” the man filming the officer says.
“No mask. Everybody else has a mask.”
The officer asks, “Can I talk?”, but the man interjects and tells him to step back 1.5 metres.
“Come on mate. Follow the instructions we’ve all been given,” he says as the officer walks back to his car.
“If I didn’t have a mask you’d say something to me, wouldn’t you? You would, pal.”
Mango Hill Bakery has been contacted by Yahoo News Australia for comment.
Police confirm officer failed to wear mask
Queensland Police confirmed the senior sergeant in question failed to wear a mask.
“After the officer was confronted by a member of the public, the officer immediately returned to his vehicle to retrieve his mask and self-reported to senior management,” police told Yahoo News Australia in a statement.
“The QPS’s posture has always been to educate and show compassion with the change of Covid-19 Chief Health Officer’s directions.”
Moreton Bay Region is currently in lockdown as well as being subject to the state's health orders which require residents to wear masks when they are outside of their homes.
On TikTok, the Queensland Police officer’s failure to wear a mask divided opinion.
“I’ve gotten out of the car and forgotten my mask,” one woman wrote.
“He’s only human.”
Another woman wrote it’s “one rule for them, another for us”.
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NSW Police officer fined for not wearing a mask
A NSW Police Superintendent was fined for not wearing a mask inside a fast-food restaurant at Mount Colah in Sydney's north on Wednesday.
"Police spoke with the officer before issuing a $200 Penalty Infringement Notice (PIN) for not wearing fitted face covering when in indoor area of retail/business premises," police said.
"In total, 65 PINs were issued yesterday and of those 52 were $200 infringements for failing to wear a fitted face covering.
"Police continue to appeal to the community to report suspected breaches of any ministerial direction or behaviour which may impact on the health and safety of the community."
Barnaby Joyce fined for not wearing a mask
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce was fined $200 after he stepped into a Caltex petrol station in Armidale in NSW on Monday morning without wearing a mask.
A member of the public dobbed Mr Joyce in to Crime Stoppers and police checked the station’s CCTV.
Mr Joyce addressed the incident during an interview with Sky News's Alan Jones.
"The other day I went into the Caltex service station, I was going to the airport, I forgot to get fuel for Vikki, fill the car up with fuel, went in, 30 seconds later 200 bucks it cost me because I didn’t wear one of these," he said while holding up a mask.
"But that’s life," he shrugged.
with AAP
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