LANCASTER - Local safety forces leaders are leaving it to their employees' discretion to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, while still enforcing state and local safety protocols.
Doses of the vaccine were available to firefighters in December of 2020, and while initially promised to law enforcement officers around the same time, doses for police weren't available in Ohio until March of this year.
And while the vaccine isn't compulsory, local department leaders feel their employees will follow proper guidelines when dealing with the public.
Vaccinations have been made available to much of the general public at this point.
Sheriff's office
Fairfield County Sheriff Alex Lape said the sheriff's office chose to lead by example, getting the vaccine when it was available.