A few days ago, an open letter from the “Police officers for fundamental rights and freedoms” caused a sensation in the media: Hundreds of officials criticized the massive division in society as a result of the Austrian federal government’s corona policy. The police officers warned of staff shortages should vaccination come into force. Political leaders tried to put things into perspective, trade unionists described the letter as “bullshit”. Now another police officer speaks up: In a letter he confirms the statements of the police officers for basic rights and states: The trade unionists have no idea of the reality in the departments.
Read the letter from the officer, who wishes to remain anonymous, below (emphasis added and subheadings by Report24):
… These personal words are addressed to: BMI, State Police Headquarters Salzburg, Ministry of the Interior…
Best regards
Now the “Open Letter” from hundreds of police officers was a flash in the pan, and trade unionists naturally had to snub it in their own way. Quote: “I’ve never heard such nonsense,” one of the trade unionists was quoted as saying in the media. I don’t want to say any more about it now… These unionists just don’t seem to know what’s going on at the base of the police force, in inspections and departments. It’s easy to talk among like-minded people in a small, elegant trade union office.
I am one myself, one of those “unvaccinated” and yes, I will anticipate it right away, I will remain so, vaccination requirement or not! I have decided this for myself, for reasons that affect me personally and for which I am not accountable to anyone in this world. This point of view applies to the present day, which for me personally does not mean that it may change at some point. That’s the way it is today, and it has to be accepted.
Unvaccinated as “contaminated”: split in the office
Now back to the gentlemen trade unionists and your “nonsense”. They have no idea how colleagues who have decided against this “vaccination”, for whatever reason, are actually doing and how the group of colleagues is dealing with this topic. Of course there will also be differences here, I am convinced of that and that is also in the nature of things, depending of course on the attitude(s) of the superiors and managers. It is therefore certainly not possible to compare all of these situations.
Personally, I am shocked and deeply dismayed at the point we have reached in this country. And yes, this division, which is talked about again and again, has also found its way into my department. Fueled by some of the people you meet higher up in the hierarchy and in general. “The unvaccinated, the infected, infect everyone, they shouldn’t get a bed in the hospital and pay for the costs themselves”, which is confirmed by others nodding their heads and much more. You can try to argue against it or talk about it objectively, or make comparisons, you usually end up where and how politics “labels” these people as corona deniers, sworn advocates, opponents of vaccination, FPÖ supporters and the like. I am none of that. The fact that none of this has anything to do with a party affiliation, or none at all, that you are not an opponent of vaccination per se (I have been vaccinated against many things myself) is no longer noticed, drawer open, clean, drawer closed, period, my opinion is clear I don’t care about the rest.
Resistant to facts
Now in times of Omicron, where, as with the previous variants, both vaccinated and unvaccinated people can become infected, it affects more vaccinated than unvaccinated. This is how I can personally observe it, at least at work and in my personal environment. If another report comes in about a colleague who has tested positive, then immediately, consciously or subconsciously, their environment is examined and the reason for the infection is sought, and one somehow comes to the conclusion that it is probably from the unvaccinated child or an unvaccinated family member or an unvaccinated colleague must be… It has not yet arrived in some minds and perhaps never will that the “vaccination” alone or in itself does not protect against an infection or transmission and does not prevent this, according to current studies not at all at Omikron. Yes, it was and is politically advertised in this way, one has to say, but hardly anyone wants to accept the fact that unfortunately it is not the case. But the “evil unvaccinated” is to blame. It’s good that I’m a strong personality, I dare to say that, and you can’t hit me or intimidate me with such statements, I’m sorry.
Discussions about Punishment of the Unvaccinated
But now we have reached a point that represents an absolute low point in this respect. Due to the vaccination obligation that is coming into force or that is planned to come into force, there is already a serious discussion about how to deal with unvaccinated colleagues, for the purpose of punishment and reporting… Is it the supervisor’s duty to report the colleague? 3G does apply in the workplace, but the supervisor knows about the status of the unvaccinated person, so it would be his duty to report it, wouldn’t it? Such talks are now being held. And this is certainly not an isolated case.
Officials want to leave police service
Personally, it saddens me and it is also frightening what can and has been done in such a short time. You shouldn’t forget that as a police officer you spend a lot of time at your station or in the office, and over time you develop a kind of “second family” with your colleagues and, of course, friendships too. It can go that fast, and all of that is history.
I am only expressing my personal thoughts and experiences here, and there are enough colleagues (also in my department) who, due to these situations, the scope of work in relation to Covid, the measures
in itself, whether official or private, toying with the idea of leaving the police behind and want to draw a line under this period of life. As I said, I feel like I have a strong personality and I can put up with it and cope with it, and should our life in the near or distant future be something like it was before Corona, colleagues will probably also remember, but it doesn’t change a person’s character, and I won’t forget that then.
For an Austria as it once was, for togetherness as it once was, for a future as we were left and created by our ancestors, now for our children and those who will follow
generations.
Yours sincerely, a concerned but at peace one
police officer
