Per King 5 recently due to the statewide vaccine mandate, several hundred (292) unvaccinated Seattle PD officers haven’t shown proof of vaccination, which will result in a mass firing. These officers’ decisions could have a big impact on the crime rate in Seattle because there aren’t enough cops on duty.

During the past year, Police Officers and all other front-line workers have been put under a tremendous amount of pressure, whether it be COVID-19 or for the PD, the ‘Defund the Police’ movement. Over the summer of protests and a budget crisis, the City Council voted to cut 20% of the Seattle Police Department’s budget and in addition put a large strain on the families of the workers.

Seattle’s firefighters are also being pressed by the same mandate as Seattle PD and are being put in the same situation: no vaccine, no job. With all of those factors, several of the Seattle Firefighters and Police Officers left their boots outside city hall to show their frustration after hearing they could be let go if they can’t show proof of vaccination.

To better understand the view of the people who are a part of the industry, you need to hear them directly. We asked Officer DePina of the Seattle PD a few questions about the recently established vaccine mandate, starting with his thoughts on the proof of vaccination being required for his job and if he’s had any coworkers get affected by this. Officer DePina said, “I have had a number of my co-workers forced to make a very difficult and personal decision resulting in major changes in their lives”. Clearly an emotional subject for anyone working in this business, he then added “Everyone has had their own reasons for not getting vaccinated, but their loss will be felt as time goes on.”. Officer DePina was very generous to give us an inside view of someone who actually gets affected by this mandate. Then when informed that the Seattle PD and firefighters are being put on notice that if they can’t show proof of vaccination they could be let go, he proceeded to respond with “I am incredibly disappointed and saddened that it has come to this. I believe the vaccination issue is a matter of personal choice.”

In addition, Mr. DePina said, “A significant number of people have chosen to retire or resign instead of being forced to take a shot(s) that they do not wish to take.”  As we can all see, this mandate has truly affected the lives of so many workers in the city of Seattle and has left many frustrated with these officers’ personal choices. In the end, Seattle’s front-line workers have a decision to make to decide the outcome of their jobs that are currently on the line.