The coronavirus has become the leading cause of death for officers despite law enforcement being among the first groups eligible to receive the vaccine at the end of 2020. The total stands at 476 Covid-19 related deaths since the start of the pandemic, compared to 94 from gunfire in the same period.
“If you are serious about your commitment to protect the public … and if you are serious about your personal commitments to your family, then that should be enough,” Jessica Desfosses said in a plea for police officers to get vaccinated.
Her appeal comes as law enforcement officers and their unions across the country have resisted vaccine mandates despite the Delta variant-fueled resurgence of Covid-19 and effectiveness of the shots in preventing severe cases and death.
Reasons cited for the vaccine resistance among law enforcement officers range from disinformation to distrust in the science of the vaccines.
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“You’re not drafted into this job. This is something you volunteer for,” said Charles Ramsey, a former Washington, DC police chief and CNN law enforcement analyst. “You understand when you take the job it’s going to require some sacrifice on your part in a lot of different ways.”
