Harry Wilmerding
Seattle may lose more than 200 police officers over the city’s COVID-19 vaccination policy, according to a local talk radio host.
Over 200 officers, who represent roughly 20% of the police department, said they haven’t been vaccinated or refused to hand over their private health records, according to the Jason Rantz Show on the Seattle radio channel KTTH.
City workers, including police officers, risk losing their job if they do not receive the shot, according to the most recent vaccination mandate. Seattle now requires COVID-19 vaccination of all employees regardless of age, risk factor or prior infection.
All staff must be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18, but religious and medical exemptions are offered.
The Seattle Police Department is already low on staff, Rantz reported. The SPD lost roughly 300 officers since the defund the police movement began in 2020.
“Chief Diaz continues to encourage employees to obtain full vaccinations, to protect themselves, their families and their community. Per the City’s mandate, SPD personnel have until October 18th to obtain full vaccination. We believe our officers will do the right thing,” an SPD spokesperson told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
The Seattle Police Officer’s Guild has been negotiating with government officials over the mandate, according to Rantz. An agreement on terms could come this week or early next week.
“We could potentially have a lot of officers that could be terminated,” Mike Sloan, president of the Seattle Police Officer’s Guild, told Komo News.
“If you are advocating for more police officers because you know crime is on the rise, you need more cops because of what the City Council did. Why are you threatening us with our jobs (if) you don’t get this vaccination. It’s unbelievable to me, it doesn’t make sense.”
The Mayor’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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