Hamilton County Sheriff Jim Hammond told us on Wednesday that unless he is forced to do so through the courts, he has no plans to enforce a recent vaccine mandate from the White House.
The mandate would require public employees in Tennessee and employees at businesses which have more than 100 people to be vaccinated - or present a negative COVID-19 test each week.
Sheriff Hammond says until any legal challenges work their way through court and his hand is forced, he will not enforce this.
He adds that he does not believe legal challenges will be resolved in his tenure and before a new sheriff takes office.
"I think it's a wrong move in the wrong direction. And I think it will further reduce the strength of the manpower in law enforcement," said Hammond, " I do not intend to make it part of the protocol for the Sheriff's Department until such time is, I have no other options."
The sheriff says it’s a matter of individual choice and also a workforce concern.
He says he echoes the Knox County Sheriff’s recently expressed concerns about what enforcing the mandate could mean for the department which is already short-staffed.
"I believe there'll be those who will say, I'm not doing this, I've already gone through a year of cops or the problem of already finding it harder to justify to my family, why I do what I do. And this just adds another weight," said Hammond.
The sheriff says he’s struggled with dwindling law enforcement numbers over the last year and says losing more officers would be a public safety concern
"It would be detrimental to what we're already doing. First of all, in terms of employees, I'm already about 60 or 70, Officer short, both in the jail and out on the road," said Hammond.
In our area, the Bradley and Meigs County Sheriffs have also confirmed they will not enforce Biden's vaccine mandate.
We also reached out to CPD to ask whether their officers will be asked to comply with federal rules. They directed us to Mayor Tim Kelly's office.
A City of Chattanooga spokesperson tells us they are still waiting on specific OSHA requirements but that they "intend to fully comply with OSHA requirements."
They also continue to strongly encourage vaccinations and provide incentives to employees and say that for public-safety agencies, Mayor Tim Kelly has emphasized that the covid vaccine is no different than other required vaccine.
Read the City of Chattanooga's statement regarding employee COVID-19 vaccine mandates below:
"The City is still waiting on official guidance from OSHA on specific requirements and provisions for exceptions. We intend to fully comply with OSHA requirements. In the meantime the City has joined the Healthy Chattanooga Coalition, alongside nearly 40 local private-sector businesses, as we're committed to being a leader in protecting the health and safety of staff and residents. Mayor Kelly's entire office is vaccinated, and his Office of Communications strongly encourages all City employees to do the same on a recurring basis through various internal communications channels. For public-safety agencies like police and fire, the Mayor has emphasized that for them the COVID vaccine is no different from other required vaccinations those employees must get (hepatitis etc). Through Nov. 30th, the City is offering a $100 incentive bonus, added onto employees' paychecks, to any city staffer who provides proof of vaccination."