Covid 19 Omicron outbreak: 'Small number' of unvaccinated Northland police stood down

Around 97 per cent of Northland police staff impacted by last year's Covid-19 vaccine mandate received their first dose by January 17. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Around 14 Northland police officers were stood down after the first vaccine mandate deadline passed.

All police constabulary staff, authorised officers and recruits were required to have their first dose of the Covid vaccine by January 17 in order to stay employed, followed by a second dose by March 1.

Police Commissioner Andrew Coster previously said the mandate was to keep staff safe as they continued to respond to their communities' needs amidst the unfolding pandemic.

Overall in Northland, around 97 per cent of the 449 staff impacted by the mandate had adhered to the January 17 deadline.

The figure falls shy of national data which showed just over 98 per cent of the country's 10,510 mandated police staff had at least received the first dose, and 94 per cent were double dosed.

A police spokesperson for Northland said the "small number of staff" stood down would be consulted with during the three weeks post-deadline to consider redeployment or leave without pay options, or any application for a medical exemption.

"As an organisation, we support vaccination because it aligns with our goal that our people and communities are safe and feel safe."

"The action to stand down a small number of staff will not stop police delivering our essential services."

Police Association president Chris Cahill said while the percentage of vaccinated police staff in Northland was "good", it slightly lagged other police districts.

He said the loss of 14 officers while appearing minor, may still be heavily felt.

"The issue is where they're based. If they are in non-crucial roles or perhaps in Whangārei [the largest station in Northland] then it'll have less of an impact."

But if they were based in a more rural or remote setting, such as the Far North, then there would "obviously be a bigger impact", Cahill said.

"It'll have a serious impact on those communities where those policing staff have built a relationship with the people in their community."

Police are unable to disclose where the losses have occurred in order to protect the privacy of those individuals.

Cahill thought some unvaccinated police staff may be holding out for vaccine options alternative to the currently available options of Pfizer and AstraZeneca.

But the rise of the highly infectious Omicron variant may see some officers change their minds, he said.

Further additions to the police vaccine mandate occurred last week with the announcement all New Zealand Police employees, contractors, volunteers, suppliers, new employees and visitors who work at or enter police sites were required to have their first dose by February 11 and a second jab a month later.

Deputy Police Commissioner leadership and capability Tania Kura said safety was at the core of the expanded mandate.

"Police is committed to ensuring that our staff and the people we engage with are safe and vaccination is the best defence against Covid-19 and its variations."

Police confirmed anyone visiting a police station to access essential police services – such as front-counter services – or victims, witnesses, and people brought to a station by officers or held in custody were exempt from the mandate.

Cahill predicted the percentage of vaccinated staff under the new mandate would be similar to the figures already seen among frontline officers.

The Northern Advocate has requested the number of newly impacted staff in Northland.