A western Kansas mayor announced her resignation Tuesday after receiving threats for publicly supporting a mask mandate in her city during the coronavirus pandemic.
Dodge City Mayor Joyce Warshaw said she had concerns about her safety after encountering threatening phone calls and emails following an interview she did with USA Today Friday endorsing a mask mandate, the Dodge City Globe reported.
“Life has dealt out many challenges in our world that have perhaps caused many people to act inappropriately but I do not feel safe in this position anymore and am hopeful in removing myself this anger, accusations and abuse will not fall on anyone else and will calm down,” Warshaw wrote in her resignation letter.
The city commission voted 4-1 on November 16 in favor of the mask mandate, with a few exceptions.
Dodge City is located in Ford County, which had recorded 4,914 coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, according to the state health department.
About 33,600 residents live in Ford County.
Warshaw said that despite the threats, she does not regret supporting the mask mandate.
Some of the threatening emails have been forwarded to the police. No specific details about the threats were made available.
Dodge City Police Chief Drew Francis said the police department is investigating the threats before responding to them.
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