You are paying for unvaccinated York Regional Police officers' COVID-19 tests

Unvaccinated members can keep working as long as they get tested every 72 hours

Yorkregion.com
Nov. 24, 2021
Jeremy Grimaldi

It might seem fair to assume the York Regional Police officer you’re dealing with is double-vaccinated.

Problem is, you might be wrong.

Public organizations, especially those with unions, have been struggling with their vaccine policies for some time and York police are no different.

Many have gone the mandatory vaccine route -- all paramedics in York Region are vaccinated and many firefighters risk losing their jobs if they ignore their municipalities' vaccine mandates. Toronto police must also be double vaccinated by Nov. 30 or face being put on unpaid leave.

But York Regional Police, under pressure from their union, the York Regional Police Association (YRPA), have taken a different route.

While the service had been urging members to get their vaccinations by the Nov. 2 mandate deadline, those who have refused continue to work under the proviso they get tested every 72 hours.

And while the unvaccinated members must conduct the tests on their own time, more than one source with intimate knowledge of the situation says the taxpayer is forking out about $40 for the tests each and every time.

While neither YRPA president Rob O'Quinn or communications director Erika Mieto returned requests for comment, employment lawyer Hena Singh said unions are attempting to walk a fine line with members.

“I find it quite curious that unions are saying health and safety is not the priority,” she said. “The unions are trying to look out for everyone (so those who don’t want to be vaccinated aren’t terminated). So, I think they’re trying to balance interests and make sure everyone keeps their jobs. Workplaces are trying to appease unions and unions are trying to appease their members.”

“I can see the justification, I am not sure I agree with it,” Singh added.

When asked, one double-vaccinated member of York Regional Police, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear for his job, said the problem with the policy is that while it makes a small number of officers happy, it removes the rights of citizens who have no choice but to deal with the police.

“If there’s a (child exploitation) search warrant conducted in Vaughan, the family ought to expect that the officers in their home have been vaccinated," the officer said. "We need to take a hard line that we all shall be vaxxed.”

York police said it continues to "strongly recommend" all members, both sworn and civilian, are vaccinated to protect staff and the community.

“Members who do not comply (with the test every 72 hours) will not be permitted to enter the workplace and will be deemed unfit to perform their duties,” wrote Const. Maniva Armstrong, a YRP spokesperson, in an email to yorkregion.com “These members may elect to use their vacation time or their absence will be unpaid.”

But this is not the only controversy that has popped up over the past month in relation to the police's COVID-19 protocol.

On Twitter, at least one account holder complained after the service tweeted out photographs of the force’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Summit that featured unmasked staff.

“This is a fantastic example of terrible public health messages: an unnecessary unmasked activity indoor with inadequate ventilation,” wrote the Twitter account @age_stupid. “This is not the first police service I've seen not getting it.”

However, the service stands by its policy.

“Members moving around the building are required to wear a mask,” Armstrong added. “Those sitting may remove their mask with proper distancing. Anyone not complying would be further educated regarding our organizational health and safety measures.”

Although the service refused to share how many of its members are vaccinated, Dr. Richard Gould, York Region's acting medical officer of health, said the number was "high."

As for the police policy, Gould said: “It’s better overall for everyone to be vaccinated ... it’s helpful if police are vaccinated,” he told yorkregion.com. “If the testing is frequent and timely, it can be effective."