The city is poised to fire as many as 403 officers, about 40 percent of the 1,000-person force, for failing to take the COVID-19 jab by an Oct. 18 deadline, according to local reports. “The environment has been pretty toxic and negative,” an unnamed officer told Fox 13 News. In addition, 111 officers are awaiting the results of exemption requests, said Seattle PD spokesperson Sgt. Interim police chief Adrian Diaz will require all officers to be on standby duty for 911 calls starting October 13. “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.
