The San Francisco Sheriff’s Union said Friday that a number of deputies will retire early or quit if they are forced to receive a vaccine under under city mandate.
Last month, a mandate was issued requiring public employees to be vaccinated by Sept. 15. If they do not follow the mandate, they risk losing their jobs.
Exemptions are being given for religious and medical reasons, but even those with exemptions may still face repercussions.
The San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association warned on Facebook that approximately 160 of 600 sheriff employees are refusing vaccination and will be forced to leave their positions, which the city cannot afford.
The union stated that the staffing level is already low and losing more officers will heavily affect public safety. It has asked the city to follow state guidelines, giving officers the option to test regularly.
The union’s position was criticized by city officials who claim the unvaccinated pose a great risk to everyone else.
There is also an undue and unacceptable health and safety risk that is imposed upon the city, our employees and the public we serve, by those who are not vaccinated against COVID-19.
San Francisco Department of Human Resources
A spokesperson for the sheriff’s department, Nancy Crowley, said that the human resources department is working with officials to ensure compliance by the city’s deadline next month.