LOS ANGELES, CA — LAX Airport Police Chief Cecil Rhambo released the following statement following a news release issued last night by LA County Sheriff Alex Villanueva which highlighted his continued objection to mandate vaccines:
“I lost my Dad to COVID-19, so this is very personal for me.
1 out of every 500 Americans has lost their life to COVID. The best way to prevent COVID deaths, protect lives, and keep our first responders and the people we serve as healthy as possible is to get vaccinated. And if the number one job of the LASD is to save lives and keep people safe, then deputies tasked with saving lives should be encouraged to follow the mandate by their leader, not to defy a safety protocol.
If we can mandate vaccines and masking for police officers at LAX Airport, which in turn protects the health, public health and public safety for all, then we can and should be able to do it at the LASD. This is yet another example of Villanueva’s failed leadership and why change is growing more urgent at the Department.”