Chicago police lag in reporting vaccine status in city fight

By SOPHIA TAREEN and DON BABWIN
Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) — Roughly 65% of Chicago Police Department employees have complied with a requirement to report their COVID-19 vaccination status. That number is far behind most other departments in the city. The data comes amid an escalating dispute between the city and police union over the vaccination policy that could lead to officer firings. Chicago is requiring its employees to be vaccinated by the end of the year unless they have an exemption. The head of the Fraternal Order of Police had urged members to defy the requirement. The city and union have taken the battle to court. Mayor Lori Lightfoot says “a very small number” of police employees haven’t complied and were placed on “no-pay status.”