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Officer a threat to public safety and dishonest to park patrons @MassDCR @masspolice @MassGovernor @CDCgov thread below!
The officer stationed at Cochituate State Park's Boating Ramp at 4:42 this afternoon approached my gf's car as we were getting our kayaks out of the water. We were both wearing masks.
The officer was in his truck and yelled to us from four parking spots over, asking where our life jackets were - "where are your life jackets? I don't see any life jackets."
I stated: "We don't have any the sign says that we should be wearing them from Sept 15-May15 so we didn't know that we needed them."
Officer: "You don't need to be wearing them, but you need to have them even if they're just in your boat. Do you have any? I don't see them."
Officer: "You don't need to be wearing them, but you need to have them even if they're just in your boat. Do you have any? I don't see them."
I stated: "We will now!"
The officer was not wearing a mask. He got out of his truck and approached a family that were also not wearing masks. After his conversation ended, he walked over to our car.
The officer was not wearing a mask. He got out of his truck and approached a family that were also not wearing masks. After his conversation ended, he walked over to our car.
I stated: "Can you please put a mask on, we live with immunocompromised people?"
I then took a step away from the officer. The officer took a step towards me. He did not put a mask on or have a mask on his person that he could have put on.
I then took a step away from the officer. The officer took a step towards me. He did not put a mask on or have a mask on his person that he could have put on.
Officer stated: "I just wanted to give you this pamphlet about the laws." He extended his arm to about two feet away from me.
I took another step back. I stated: "Can you drop it on the ground, I will pick it up when there is enough distance between us."
I took another step back. I stated: "Can you drop it on the ground, I will pick it up when there is enough distance between us."
The officer took another step forward and went into the open trunk to place the pamphlet down.
The officer stated: "The masks are great, but the life jacket will actually save your life."
I stated: "The mask will save my life, too!"
The officer stated: "The masks are great, but the life jacket will actually save your life."
I stated: "The mask will save my life, too!"
The officer stated: "You know, we had a girl drown here last week. The life jacket would have saved her." The officer walked away. This is not a true statement -- the last person to have drowned in Lake Cochituate was in 2010.
As 25 y/o white women, my gf and I have so much privilege in this interaction!!
State officers are evidently allowed to use their personal beliefs (ie: not wearing a mask) to their work, but thousands of people are not allowed to or stereotyped and mistreated when they bring their "personal beliefs" to work (wearing religious garb)
