Chicago police union boss urges officers to defy city's COVID vaccine mandate

A potential safety issue is coming to a head in Chicago as police officers resist COVID-19 vaccine mandates, possibly leaving their departments under-staffed as homicides and shootings increase. 

Chicago Police Union president John Catanzara has urged officers to ignore the midnight deadline to report their vaccine status to the city. If the city tries to punish officers for not complying, only half will show up to patrol city streets, Catanzara predicted. 

"Any sergeant, lieutenant, captain or above who gives you an order to go in that portal is not valid. You are able to refuse that order," he said.