The Toronto Police Service (TPS) announced on Thursday that officers who remain unvaccinated or do not disclose their vaccination status would be placed on leave starting Nov. 30.
“Any member, uniform or civilian, who has not disclosed their vaccination status or is not fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will have rendered themselves unable to perform their duties,” Toronto police said in a news release.
“These members will be placed on an indefinite unpaid absence and will not be permitted to enter TPS buildings or facilities. If and when the member is fully vaccinated and discloses their updated vaccination status, they will be able to return to work,” the department added.
Toronto police also said that if members continue to remain unvaccinated, they would not be eligible for supervisory and management rank promotions. The Toronto Star noted that the unvaccinated people include those who have not yet told police their vaccination status.
Officials noted that 90 percent of their department had provided their vaccination status and that 97 percent had been at least partially vaccinated while 94 percent were fully vaccinated.
“Vaccination against COVID-19 protects the health and safety of each of our members, our workplaces and the public we serve,” Chief James Ramer said in a statement.
Similarly in Chicago, Ill., officers who have failed to report their COVID-19 vaccination status with the city are put on a “no pay” status. Over 20 officers had been placed on that status as of Tuesday.
The issue of reporting vaccination status has created a political rift between Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) President John Catanzara and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) after Catanzara told members not to report their vaccination status to the city.
Catanzara’s comments amounted to “sedition and mutiny,” lawyers for Chicago alleged, according to ABC 7 Chicago.