The BWG-Innisfil Police Services Board met in-person and via zoom on Wednesday morning, to receive updates on the operations, finances, and vaccination status of the South Simcoe Police Service, the police force that serves both Bradford West Gwillimbury and Innisfil.
A survey of members determined that 95 percent are currently fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
“For the small number who are not, we’ll have to put a policy in place, for testing and monitoring,” said Police Chief Andrew Fletcher.
“How are we dealing with them?” asked board member Lynn Dollin, mayor of Innisfil, referring to the five percent who have yet to receive a COVID vaccine.
Fletcher said that the police service will be following the guidance of the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit, and requiring unvaccinated officers and employees to do a COVID assessment prior to coming into work, and wear a face mask and practice social distancing when in contact with others.
Testing may also be required on a regular basis, at the expense of the employee.
“We are not moving to termination,” Chief Fletcher said unless the actions amount to insubordination.
In answer to the inquiry, a spokesperson for the South Simcoe Police later indicated that “there have been a few members of the Service who have contracted the virus, but we are not prepared to disclose any further information about those as they are private health matters.”
Those members who contracted the virus did so while off duty and did not return to work until cleared. There has been no public exposure through the South Simcoe Police.
