In early December, the Canton Police Department had as many as 16 officers out due to COVID.
And so far in 2021, only one Canton police officer out of the 169 in the department (plus another 53 other city police employees) has been able to get a dose of the vaccine, Chief Jack Angelo said. The one who did was on a waiting list in another county.
Ohio last month decided not to follow federal recommendations to make police officers an immediate vaccination priority, dashing Angelo s hopes of getting his police force inoculated quickly.
With police officers regularly being off sick and higher crime levels, Angelo fears officers forced to work extended hours could burn out. He said he can t put more than one officer in a squad car until the officer and their partner are vaccinated.