The New Zealand Police Association acknowledges today’s High Court ruling that the vaccine mandate for sworn police officers was unlawful and an unreasonable limit on the rights of officers affected.

Police Association President Chris Cahill says the association has never taken the position of making a medical or moral call on vaccinations, but did support legally backed mandates.

"The court has now clarified the legal status of the Police mandate and deemed it to be unlawful.

"The association therefore calls for all officers affected by this decision to be reinstated and returned to work as soon as practicable," Mr Cahill says.

The association also believes the ruling has implications for the policy relating to vaccinations for non-sworn Police employees.

"It makes sense for the parallel policy applying to non-sworn staff should now be dropped and those staff affected be permitted to return to their duties", Mr Cahill says.

"While understanding the environment that led to mandates for Police, circumstances, including the high vaccinations rates of all Police staff, the current response framework for Omicron, and now the court ruling, mean it is appropriate all affected staff go back to work where they will be welcomed given the unprecedented demands on Police resources."

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