Chicago's powerful police union boss has effectively dared Mayor Lori Lightfoot to suspend up of half the crime-plagued city's cops by telling them to ignore her order to submit their vaccination status by Friday.
Head of the Chicago Branch of the Fraternal Order of Police John Catanzara has shared a video urging his members - who represent 11,000 of the city's 13,000 sworn officers - to file exemption requests on Thursday instead.
'We're going to provide three forms later today, for religious, for medical, and for the conscientious exemption,' the head of the Chicago branch of the Fraternal Order of Police, John Catanzara, explained in a 10-minute video message posted to the union's YouTube page.
'We're asking members to submit those on Thursday - not anytime sooner. Submit those all on Thursday - give everything at one time.'
The union boss then adds: 'Do not fill out the portal information,' a reference to the website where city workers, including cops, have been ordered to submit their vaccination statuses by Friday.
'We're going to provide three forms later today, for religious, for medical, and for the conscientious exemption,' the head of the Chicago branch of the Fraternal Order of Police, John Catanzara, explained in a 10-minute video message posted to the union's YouTube page
The stern video message explicitly instructs officers to defy Lightfoot's order, and comes just days before city workers - including cops - must share their vaccine status using the aforementioned portal by Friday or face being put on unpaid leave.
In the video, Catanzara appears to dare Lightfoot to fire members of his police force as an unprecedented crime wave plagues the Windy City, and predicted at least half of the department would comply with his request.
'It’s safe to say the city of Chicago will have a police force at 50 percent or less,' Catranzara said at one point in the recorded message, sitting at his desk at the union's office on the city's West Side.
'Whatever happens because of that manpower issue,' the union head added, 'that falls at the mayor’s doorstep.'
Blasting the vaccine mandate, he added: 'Hell no is the best way I can put it, across the board.
'I do not believe the city has the authority to mandate that to anybody, let alone that information about your medical history.'
The number of officers already vaccinated for now is unclear - with Chicago Police Department spokesman Don Terry admitting in August 'We’re not keeping tabs on it at this moment; we don’t have a number.'
Mayor Lori Lightfoot's recently put a mandate into effect that forced all civic employees to get vaccinated or face unpaid leave. City employees - including the 13,000 sworn officers that comprize Chicago's police department, must report their vaccination statuses to the city by Friday
What's more, the latest data concerning the exact number of vaccinated officers is somewhat up for debate, with WBEZ Chicago reporting in May that less than 3,600 officers had received at least one dose of the jab, while The Washington Post placed the number at somewhere around 4,000 that same month.
Lightfoot responded to Catanzara's strong words at a news conference the next day, saying that the city was 'prepared' for any outcome - but was sure to add that Catanzara was 'doing a patent disservice to his members every single day' by encouraging police to push back against the mandate.
'If you are not vaccinated, you are playing with your life, the life of your family, the life of your colleagues, and members of the public,' Lightfoot declared at the Wednesday meeting.
She did not comment further on what exactly her plans are if she does follow through on her threat, and Chicago loses thousands of cops. Any bending of Lightfoot's own rules would be seen as humiliating for the city leader, who has faced an increasing barrage of criticism from officers.
Over the summer, Catanzara revealed that he himself has received the COVID-19 vaccine - but stands behind those who have chosen not to - including members of his union.
At least 3,600 Chicago officers have already received at least one dose of the vaccine, but Catanzara says that the thousands that remain should have the right to choose
'It’s safe to say the city of Chicago will have a police force at 50 percent or less,' Catranzara said at one point in the vide message he recorded from his desk at the Fraternal Order of Police Union office on the city's West Side
'That was a personal choice I made because I want to be able to travel without restrictions - that’s why I got the COVID shot.' Catanzara said in August, after Lightfoot first announced the city's vaccine mandate.
'Many others decided not to,' he went on, 'and I absolutely respect and understand their position on why they don’t want to do it.'
The union chief even went as far as to equate the city’s mandate to that of a facist regime - namely, Nazi Germany.
'When governments, whether it’s Nazi Germany or modern-day Chicago, try to start - or any other major city, like New York and many others who are doing this - try to create policies that mandate their employees first, to have to do things to their bodies, it will not stop there,' he told The Chicago Sun-Times in August.
'You are opening up the door for the citizens to be next.'
Catanzara later apologized for the comments, but says he still vehemently opposes the mayor's imposed mandate - especially when it comes to members of his department.
The city of Chicago's police department has been increasingly at odds with Lightfoot - a Democrat who
