Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva warned last week that there would be a “mass exodus” of county employees, including those in law enforcement, because of its COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
In a letter to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, Villanueva claimed he could lose up to 44% of his workforce if the county enforces its vaccine mandate.
“For the entire course of this pandemic and prior to any vaccination being available, my employees worked tirelessly to fulfill their commitment to public safety by continuing to answer calls for service, maintaining safe jails, and even assisting to vaccinate our most vulnerable at-risk community members,” he wrote, adding that it has been “heartbreaking” to see his personnel threatened with termination after being called “heroes” throughout the pandemic.
Los Angeles is already facing massive staff shortages, Villanueva noted, since so many officers are retiring early.
“I currently have 1,605 employees that have 28 years of service or more. This means that they could retire without financial consequence. This mandate would certainly expedite many of these employees decision to retire,” he said.
He warned the mandate could force him to take “drastic measures,” such as reducing services to Los Angeles County. He also said that, for as long as he is able, he will refuse to enforce the “reckless mandates that put the public’s safety at risk.”
“With the pandemic waning, there is no justification for your mandate. This mandate is like putting up storm windows after the storm has passed,” he wrote.
This is not the first time Villanueva has stood up to Los Angeles County’s extreme COVID-19 orders. In July, he announced he would not enforce the county’s mask mandate, calling it “anti-science.”
“Forcing the vaccinated and those who already contracted COVID-19 to wear masks indoors is not backed by science and contradicts the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines,” Villanueva said at the time.
