A group of Denver police officers are suing the capital city of Colorado over its COVID vaccine mandate, alleging that officials cannot legally implement the requirement.
Denver Police Officers Dewayne Rodgers, Bart Stark, Rich Ziegler, Nick Elliott, David Curtis, Les Tucker, and Jonathan Christian, have together filed court documents in the city's District Court last week, naming Mayor Michael Hancock, Police Chief Paul Pazen, and the Department of Public Health and Environment and alleging that they cannot legally enforce the COVID vaccine mandate on them.
They are being represented by Attorney Randy Corporan in a lawsuit that seeks a temporary restraining order and a review of the COVID vaccine mandate.
According to CPR News, Mayor Hancock mandated city employees and "high risk" workers in the private sector to get vaccinated against COVID in August, with a deadline set last Thursday. The Denver police officers describe the COVID vaccine mandate as unlawful because the vaccines' status are "still experimental."
The FDA approved Pfizer's "Comirnaty" COVID vaccine, but "considerable amounts" of the company's vaccine remain under Emergency Use Authorization, NOQReport indicated.
"During the pandemic, each of these Plaintiffs loyally worked the front lines, yet now, they are precipitously placed on the edge of unemployment," the lawsuit read. Mayor Hancock warned that employees may be terminated due to non-compliance with the COVID vaccine mandate. However, as it stands, the health order requiring COVID vaccination does not specify what happens to those who remain unvaccinated after the September 30 deadline.
According to Breitbart, the lawsuit filed by the seven Denver police officers is the latest legal action taken by law enforcement officers across the U.S. to oppose the COVID vaccine mandate. Recently, a judge rejected a request by the State Police Association of Massachusetts to cease the state's vaccine requirements outlined by Republican Governor Charlie Baker. The Massachusetts state police said on Monday that dozens of officers are resigning over the imminent mandate.
CBS Boston obtained a statement from the Massachusetts state union that lamented how throughout the COVID pandemic, officers "have been on the front lines protecting the citizens of Massachusetts and beyond. Simply put, all we are asking for are the same basic accommodations that countless other departments have provided to their first responders, and to treat a COVID related illness as a line of duty injury."
The statement also decried how so many troopers have already filed their registration paperwork, with some signaling intentions to "return to other departments offering reasonable alternatives such as mask wearing and regular testing." They added that the State Police are already short staffed as it is, especially when the "unprecedented moves" took officers away from their "specialty units that investigate homicides, terrorism, computer crimes, arsons, gangs, narcotics, and human trafficking, and returned them to uniformed patrol."
As per the Massachusetts COVID vaccine mandate, all executive department employees must provide proof of vaccination by October 17 or face termination. In Los Angeles, California, thousands of police officers are also looking to either seek vaccine exemptions, the Washington Post reported.
An estimated 3,000 LAPD employees will seek either religious or medical exemptions before the October 5 vaccination deadline. Meanwhile, six LAPD employees have filed a case against the city, Democratic Mayor Eric Garcetti and LAPD Chief Michel Moor, alleging that the COVID vaccine mandates for city employees violates their constitutional right to privacy and due process.
