The Police Service Association tells its members you do not have to take the COVID-19 vaccine if you don’t want to.

A communiqué sent out earlier this week caused some concern among officers.

However this morning, General Secretary of he association Sgt. Ancil Forde said the vaccine is not compulsory.

Yesterday Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith noted the reluctance by some police officers to take the vaccine.

He told a news conference yesterday there was a time when there was no question about the responsibilities of police officers.

However on the Morning Edition program today Sgt. Forde noted that officers have rights and a choice regarding what goes into their bodies.

Up to 1700 police officers have been identified to be vaccinated.

The Commissioner has already been inoculated.

Earlier this week there were also questions surrounding reports that members of the Defence Force were being mandated to get vaccinated.

The Defence Force denied this and so too did the new national security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds.