Outrage as police officer who was fired for refusing to get a Covid jab is not allowed back on the force - despite Victoria Police struggling to fill roles
- Victoria Police currently struggling to fill 800 vacancies
- Ex-cops sacked for refusing Covid vaccine want to rejoin
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A Victoria Police officer who was fired for refusing to get a Covid vaccination has been permanently banned from rejoining the force, despite being 800 police short.
Tristan Penfold would love to rejoin the police, but has been told there is no way back in Victoria or any other state.
Mr Penfold joined the police in 2019, but was suspended in late 2021 for refusing to get vaccinated, and was dismissed from the force in January 2022.
He had said he was willing to get a Novavax jab - favoured by some people who did not want to get mRNA-based vaccines such as those made by Pfizer and Moderna - but it was not available in Australia at the time.
Appearing on Sunrise on Monday morning, Mr Penfold said he and several other anti-vax former cops 'would love to return and fill a much-needed hole'.
A Victoria Police officer who was fired for refusing to get a Covid vaccination has been permanently banned from rejoining the force, despite being 800 police short.
Victoria Police has 800 vacancies in the force, leading to 43 suburban stations to reduce their hours of opening.
Mr Penfold said being a police officer 'meant everything' to him.
'It meant the community, making a better place for my daughter to live and better place for everyone,' he said.
'Unfortunately, the Chief Commissioner (of the Victoria Police) is not interested in rehiring us.'
The rising crime rate and dwindling police resources has made no difference to the force's policy.
'All former police... seeking reemployment are required to undergo suitability assessments prior to returning to Victoria Police,' a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.
'The application process for all new and former police includes assessment by a suitability panel.
'The panel considers any probity issues including previous disciplinary matters and members who have resigned under investigation or have been terminated are not eligible to reapply.'
Mr Penfold said there are no other disciplinary reasons the police are unwilling to rehire him.
He said refusing to get vaccinated against Covid is 'the only blemish on my career. That stands the same for some of my colleagues as well'.
He was unable to say, though, how many are in the same boat as him.
'The number ranges in anywhere from 35 to somewhere in the hundreds depending on how you stack the numbers,' he said.
Tristan Penfold (pictured), who said being a cop 'meant everything' to him, would love to rejoin the force, but has been told there is no way back in Victoria or any other state
'I won't say all of them wish to return. The damage has been done, unfortunately, for some. However, there are a good number, like myself, that are ready to return.'
Despite the vaccine mandate no longer applying, Mr Penfold said the situation is that 'Once terminated, you may never reapply or be rehired by Victoria Police'.
'That will carry across to other states too,' he said.
In a plea to have the Victoria Police change their mind on the issue, Mr Penfold said 'there's no reason to continue having a deficit in members' now that the vaccine mandate is over.
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