The Government announced a new vaccine mandate for the country's police force on Friday. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The Government announced a new vaccine mandate for the country's police force on Friday. Photo / Michael Cunningham
More than 400 Northland police officers will be required to get a Covid-19 vaccine by January 17 next year after the Government announced the new mandate on Friday.
The vaccine requirements – already in place for MIQ and border workers, healthcare, education, and prisons – were in preparation for next Friday's move to the Covid-19 Protection Framework.
Workplace Relations and Safety Minister Michael Wood said the mandate applied to all constabulary, recruits, and authorised officers of the New Zealand police and all defence force staff.
Police wearing masks and gloves to help protect them from Covid-19 while at a Freedom Protest in Whangārei earlier this year. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Workers had until January 17 to have their first jab and were required to be fully vaccinated by March 1, 2022.
Currently, the vast majority of police staff nationwide are fully vaccinated with 86.5 per cent having had both doses, and 92.2 per cent having received their first jab.
This is up from 12 days ago when 79.4 per cent of police were double dosed, and 88.8 per cent had received one jab.
The Advocate has made an application to New Zealand police for Northland-specific vaccination data.
New Zealand Police Commissioner Andrew Coster doesn't want to lose anyone to the vaccine mandate but says it is an important safety step. Photo / Robert Kitchin - Stuff
Police commissioner Andrew Coster said staff affected by the mandate would be contacted over the next week about the implications of the health order.
"It is not my desire to lose anyone from the organisation as a result of this new mandate and we will work with staff covered by the Vaccination Order to encourage them to get vaccinated."
Under the new Government legislation, passed with urgency this week, unvaccinated employees carrying out work that requires vaccination will be given a four-week paid notice period if their employment agreements are terminated – whether due to mandates or employer requirements.
The Government believed this gave those employees a final chance to get vaccinated before their agreements are terminated.
Coster described the mandate as an important step for police and the communities they serve.
"Our work does not always allow us to stay at arm's length from the people we deal with and vaccination is the only control that can mitigate the safety risk in those situations," he said.
Police, such as this officer on the Northland-Auckland border, are often at the forefront of the region's Covid response. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Northland District Commander Superintendent Tony Hill said in recent months a small number of the region's police staff were close contacts of positive cases and had to self-isolate as a precaution.
Several of Northland's 75 Covid cases linked to the Delta outbreak fall in the areas with the highest headcounts of police officers.
Cases have been announced in Whangārei, where the latest data obtained by the Advocate, showed there were 218 officers based in the city's police station as of February 1 this year. Kaitaia had the third-highest headcount, after Kerikeri, with 45 officers.
On the flip side, smaller Northland towns affected by community Covid cases are manned by a handful of police.
Hikurangi for example has two police officers working out the local station. In Ruakākā, where cases were announced on Thursday, there are around four police based in the area.
