COVID-19: Victoria police will need to be vaccinated by Nov. 15 or undergo regular testing

All Victoria police officers and civilian staff will need to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or undergo regular antigen testing.

The directive, announced Wednesday, will come into force on Nov. 15.

The requirement will also apply to special municipal constables, volunteers and contractors.

“I know that most of our staff are fully vaccinated and have the BC Vaccine Card,” Victoria Police Chief Del Manak said in a media release.

“That said, we need to confirm the safety of our staff and the public, and will implement rapid testing for those that are not fully vaccinated.”

2:13 COVID-19: Vaccine mandates for B.C. first responders

The directive came a day after the City of Victoria announced that all of its employees would need to be fully vaccinated by Jan. 5, 2022.

The city said it was still finalizing details on how to handle staff who did not comply, and did not meet the threshold for an exemption under the province’s human rights code.

Vancouver police are not currently required to be vaccinated, but a spokesperson told Global News in late October that the department was working on a new policy to be announced shortly.

The new Surrey Police Service, which is still recruiting officers, has confirmed that vaccination will be required for all personnel.