Massachusetts State Police troopers fired for refusing COVID-19 vaccine lose license to carry firearms
Several former members of the Massachusetts State Police who were terminated in April after refusing the state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate have now also lost their license to carry firearms.”As they are no longer employed by the department it is not appropriate for them to continue to hold a license to carry issued by the Colonel as a necessary function of their prior employment,” state police spokesman Dave Procopio wrote in an email.Eleven Massachusetts State Troopers and one sergeant were fired in April over their refusal to get vaccinated. Their termination came nearly eight months after Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed an executive order requiring all executive branch employees to provide proof of vaccination by Oct. 17 or face disciplinary action, including possible termination.In February, the union representing state police troopers lost its appeal challenging Baker’s implementation of the vaccine mandate for all state employees, exhausting its final avenue to shield its members from the vaccine requirement.Several state troopers also resigned over the vaccine mandate.Procopio said the troopers who lost their license to carry may now apply like any other citizen for a new license from the police chief of the towns where they reside.
Several former members of the Massachusetts State Police who were terminated in April after refusing the state’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate have now also lost their license to carry firearms.
“As they are no longer employed by the department it is not appropriate for them to continue to hold a license to carry issued by the Colonel as a necessary function of their prior employment,” state police spokesman Dave Procopio wrote in an email.
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Eleven Massachusetts State Troopers and one sergeant were fired in April over their refusal to get vaccinated. Their termination came nearly eight months after Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker signed an executive order requiring all executive branch employees to provide proof of vaccination by Oct. 17 or face disciplinary action, including possible termination.
In February, the union representing state police troopers lost its appeal challenging Baker’s implementation of the vaccine mandate for all state employees, exhausting its final avenue to shield its members from the vaccine requirement.
Several state troopers also resigned over the vaccine mandate.
Procopio said the troopers who lost their license to carry may now apply like any other citizen for a new license from the police chief of the towns where they reside.
