The city is poised to dismiss as many as 403 officers, about 40 percent of the 1,000-person force, for failing to take the COVID-19 vaccination by an Oct. 18 deadline, according to local reports.
“The environment has been pretty toxic and negative,” an unnamed officer told Fox 13 News. “Not just from this whole mandate, but prior to that as well. I’m not sure this would be a good place for me to work long-term for my mental health. It has been very stressful.”
A total of 292 officers had yet to present any evidence of COVID vaccination as of Oct. 6, the station reports. Additionally, 111 officers are awaiting the results of exclusion requests, said Seattle PD spokesperson Sgt. Randy Huserik.
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The Seattle Police Department has already lost more than 300 officers since Black Lives Matters riots and the “defund the police” movement disturbed the city in 2020, putting officers in the crosshairs of political and public anger.
In response to the pending manpower crisis, interim police chief Adrian Diaz advised his department to transition into “Phase 3 Mobilization,” effective Oct. 13, which among other contingencies requires all sworn staff to be on standby duty to respond to 911 calls, Fox 13 News reports.
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“We value each of you, and do not want to lose you as employees,” Mayor Jenny Durkan said in an email defending the vaccine mandate sent to city employees this week. “But the people that count on you the most are the ones that need you to get vaccinated.”
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As she proceeds the final months of her term, Durkan is faced with a hard question: go back on her vaccine mandate or thrust the city into a public safety emergency.
Neither situation is politically appealing. Expecting the Oct. 18 deadline, Interim Seattle Police Chief Adrian Diaz advised his department to transition into a "Phase 3 Mobilization," effective Oct. 13.
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According to an internal notice received by FOX 13 News, the change in position will ask all sworn staff to be ready to respond to 911 calls. That includes detectives assigned to specialty units.
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Gov. Jay Inslee told FOX 13 News that agencies across the state have contingency plans to help guarantee basic levels of staffing.
"These are hard-working people," Inslee said of first responders who have been working on the front lines of the pandemic for 18 months. "They’re doing good work. We want them to stay on the team." But for some, it’s too late.
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