Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim has issued a mandatory face mask requirement for those going out into public spaces in the city.

Ganim says the requirement is not a suggestion and will begin Friday.

He says those caught not wearing masks in public could face fines.

Ganim made the announcement Thursday, and says he wants to be proactive because Gov. Ned Lamont is expected to sign an executive order which may require all essential workers and the public to wear protective face masks outside of their homes.

Ganim says places like grocery stores and other establishments where crowds gather will be required to post warning signs alerting people of the new public safety directive, which he says "will run on parallel tracks with the governor's pending executive order."

"It's going to be a part of a reopening anyway. Let's do it now. Let’s accelerate the time that we can get to reopening. Let's minimize the cases and let's get used to the practice that we're going to have to do over the next few weeks and months, not just in Bridgeport, but everywhere if we're going to deal with this effectively," Ganim says. 

Ganim says the City of Bridgeport is working in tandem with other big cities like New Haven, which are taking the same steps.