In the world of social media, it’s easy to condemn someone when they make a mistake and keep scrolling by. But you can judge a person’s character by whether they own up and make things right.

This week several Oregon State Police officers made headlines when they ignored my face covering requirement. I’m focused on saving lives, not firing people for making a single mistake. So today I invited three of them to sit down with me at Mahonia.

We talked about kids, our families, and the importance of setting a good example. They took responsibility and expressed real regret for their actions. And they pledged to do better.

Here’s the thing: We’re all having to make adjustments to slow the spread of COVID-19. None of this fun and some of it is really hard. But wearing a face covering to protect those around us? That’s easy.

The officers and I agreed today that face coverings save lives. So you’ll see them – and me – wearing a face covering each and every day until we beat this virus.