Prince Albert Police Chief Jon Bergen. (File photo/ paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Frontline Health

P.A. Police Chief calls for officers to get vaccinated

Feb 12, 2021 | 8:00 AM

Prince Albert’s Chief of Police is calling on the provincial government to move police officers up to the front of the line with respect to vaccinations.

In a tweet Wednesday night by Jon Bergen, he explained police officers need to be protected so they can safely serve. Speaking with paNOW on Thursday, Bergen explained front line officers are the first responders to environments that are not controlled.

“For somebody like myself [in the office] I can basically take the precautions and follow the recommendations throughout my day and work in a controlled setting but that’s not the same for our frontline members,” he said, adding on a day-to-day basis those officers respond to all different addresses and handle people.

Earlier this week, the province released more information on its vaccine delivery plan. Phase 2 of the plan will see the general public receive the jab in 10-year increments starting with ages 60 to 69 – in April. This means Bergen will likely receive a vaccination shot before his frontline staff do.

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“You know if I could give up mine for someone answering the call for service, I definitely would,” he said.

“The concerns being raised by teachers and police are worth looking at” _{– Sask. NDP Leader Ryan Meili}

Paramedics were included with Phase 1 of the province’s vaccination plan, but Bergen noted often times police and paramedics attend the same calls.

“We’ve managed well and we are resilient but we’ve had staff on more than one occasion have to go into isolation,” Bergen said, adding it does have an impact on the police service’s ability to serve the community.

At one point during the pandemic, due to required isolations, Bergen said the police service staffing level was down 37 per cent. In an effort to maintain service levels, the police service was forced to pull from other areas of the detachment, as well as other agencies. The police service also tried to limit contact with the public by encouraging online reporting and only attending to calls in person when appropriate. Bergen also acknowledged he has been in contact with the Chiefs of Police for both Saskatoon and Regina, who echoed similar concerns.

“We are not asking to jump the line past anybody that needs a vaccine first, but we definitely want to keep the decision makers informed on what we believe is important and what our needs are for our frontline staff,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Prince Albert Police Association (PAPA), the union representing Prince Albert police officers, told paNOW they support Bergen’s message.

“I think that there should be a greater urgency for front line police officers to have access to the COVID vaccine,” President Josh Peterson said.

Response from the NDP

During a Zoom press conference Thursday, NDP Leader Ryan Meili was asked by a reporter what groups his party would prioritize for the vaccine.

“The concerns being raised by teachers and police are worth looking at and these are vulnerable groups in their exposure,” he said.

Meili added he also thought a closer look should be taken at the health conditions that would trigger someone being in a priority group. paNOW has reached out to the provincial government for comment, but as of the scheduled publishing time of this article, has not received a response.

–

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell