94% of uniformed WRPS officers fully vaccinated, 2 on unpaid leave

Ninety-four per cent of uniformed members and 95 per cent of civilian employees with the Waterloo Regional Police Service are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

"I'm very pleased with where we're at," said police Chief Bryan Larkin at a media update on Monday. 

Vaccination against COVID-19 is not required to work for the Waterloo Regional Police Service, but Monday marked the deadline for staff to comply with the service's directive that officers who are vaccinated must provide proof and those who are not must undergo regular COVID-19 rapid antigen testing and education sessions.

A total of 69 staff — 49 uniformed officers and 20 civilian employees — are either not vaccinated, their condition is undisclosed or in-between a first and second dose. Larkin said he anticipated that number will be reduced to 52 by the end of November. 

Larkin said two uniformed members have been placed on unpaid leave for non-compliance with the directive. The two members are not vaccinated, are refusing to be tested and are not willing to participate in the mandatory education sessions. They have two weeks to follow the directive, he said.

"I do believe that we'll continue to push upwards, but it's not the perfect situation to be in, particularly as we head into a very demanding season," he said. 

Of all staff that work for WRPS:

Larkin said people who must undergo rapid testing can be tested via the police service at no charge, or pay out of pocket to get a test elsewhere. They must show a negative COVID-19 test 48 hours before coming into work.

He said officers who are not vaccinated can respond to emergency calls at locations that require full vaccination. 

"We're required to deploy resources. We don't have the ability of checking vaccination status. What we we have the ability to use to make sure everybody's in compliance with a directive," he said.

Officers who are unvaccinated can also patrol events such as an anti-mandatory vaccination "freedom rally," Larkin said after being asked about it.

Larkin said the educational program was provided by the City of Toronto and the service plans on monitoring its impact on officers.