PITTSBURGH — Target 11 has learned that the City of Pittsburgh has begun sending out disciplinary letters to police officers. In the letter, officers are told that their claim for a religious exemption to the COVID-19 vaccine has been denied and if they don’t get vaccinated by August, their employment will be terminated.
It’s unclear how many letters the city sent out, but sources tell Target 11 as many as 200 officers may have received them.
Back in January, approximately 40% of the city’s 850 officers were unvaccinated. More recent totals were not available.
According to the letter, officers who don’t get vaccinated will get a verbal warning on July 1.
On July 8, they will receive a written warning.
On July 15, they’ll get a one-day suspension.
On July 22, they will receive a three-day suspension.
And on July 29, they will get a five-day suspension, pending termination.
I asked the mayor about the disciplinary letters this morning. We couldn’t make out what he said, and he wouldn’t stop to elaborate.
Meanwhile, the president of the police officers’ union told Target 11 that he was caught off guard by the disciplinary action because he said the city was ordered in arbitration to negotiate the terms of the vaccine mandate with the police union.
He has advised his officers not to worry about any disciplinary action until those negotiations are conducted.
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