As police officers and labor unions across the nation continue to fight vaccine mandates, many law enforcement officials are preparing to lose their jobs.
The Daily Wire reported Wednesday:
City employees in Chicago were required to report their vaccination status to the city on Friday, but more than 3,200 Chicago police officers were refusing to do so as of Monday, according to the police union. Chicago police officials warned last week that officers who refuse to comply with the vaccine mandate may face being disciplined or fired.
In response to Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s mandate, Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana stated earlier this week that Chicago police officers who are at odds with the city’s order are welcome to serve Indiana. He followed up with a tweet Thursday, sharing an article from The Daily Wire and stating, “My office has already heard from many Chicago police interested in serving Hoosiers. @charlibond_ @realDailyWire”.
With thousands of Chicago police officers refusing to comply with Lightfoot’s mandate, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy shared similar sentiments as Sen. Braun in response to a headline from Chicago Tribune. The article reported on the city’s no-pay order for officers who are unwilling to disclose their vaccination status.
Gov. Dunleavy shared the article Wednesday and tweeted, “Across the country, members of law enforcement are being targeted & even fired for refusing to either get vaccinated or disclose if they have been. Alaska’s law enforcement community invites you to consider the 49th state where we back the blue.”
Gov. Dunleavy has stated he will not impose vaccine mandates for state employees, which could generate interest from troopers who are unwilling to comply with regulations in other states. According to Anchorage Daily News:
Austin McDaniel, a spokesman for the Alaska Department of Public Safety, said the agency has seen an increase in ‘lateral trooper applications’ this year. Those are police officers in other departments who are interested in becoming troopers. He said it isn’t clear whether that’s because of vaccination mandates, but new statistics could be available by early December. He also confirmed that the department isn’t specifically targeting fired officers for recruitment but is willing to take their applications.
While Alaska and Indiana offer refuge to discharged cops from cities like Chicago — where reported incidents of violent crime are 149% higher than the national average — many officers may choose to leave the force entirely.
Media outlets are scoffing at the dilemma police officers are facing, with some calling it “farcical”, but many law enforcement agents who have dedicated their lives to serving and protecting their cities have to make a painful decision to either get the jab or hang up their badges.
Former Police Sergeant David Gutierrez made that decision in September. He served nearly 30 years in the San Jose police department, but he resigned due to the vaccine requirement for all city employees. In an interview with Fox News, he stated, “I just want to thank God for giving me the strength to step out of my comfort zone.” He said the choice was “emotional” and “very difficult, especially after serving for that many years and putting on the uniform so many times.”