LEADERS WITH MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF
KNOWLEDGE.
AINSLEY: A FORMER NAVY SEAL
SOUNDING THE ALARM ON HUNDREDS
QUITTING OVER THESE VACCINE
MANDATES AND IT’S NOT JUST
HAPPENING IN THE MILITARY.
LAW ENFORCEMENT MEMBERS ARE ALSO
FIGHTING BACK INCLUDING A
VETERAN POLICE OFFICER OUT IN
CALIFORNIA WHO HUNG UP HIS BADGE
OVER THE VACCINE REQUIREMENT FOR
ALL CITY EMPLOYEES.
DAVID GUTTENBERG SERVED NEARLY
30 YEARS IN THE SAN JOSE POLICE
DEPARTMENT AND HE JOINS US WITH
MORE ON HIS DECISION.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I JUST WANT TO THANK GOD FOR
GIVING ME THE STRENGTH TO
STEP OUT OF MY COMFORT ZONE AND
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK.
AINSLEY: WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR COMING ON IT’S AN IMPORTANT
TOPIC AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR
SERVICE OUT THERE.
TELL US WHY YOU DECIDED TO HANG
UP YOUR BADGE.
>> WELL, WHEN WE RECEIVED THE
E-MAIL SAYING THAT YOU’RE
GOING TO HAVE A VACCINE BY A
CERTAIN DATE, OR FACE
DISCIPLINE UP TO AND INCLUDING
TERMINATION, AND I TOOK IT AS A
THREAT, AND BECAUSE I DON’T PLAN
TO BE VACCINATED, AND I DECIDED
TO TURN IN MY BADGE SO I CAN
SPEAK UP, BECAUSE OTHERS CAN’T,
FOR FEAR OF LOSING THEIR JOB.
AINSLEY: SERGEANT, HOW HARD OF A
DECISION WAS THAT?
>> VERY DIFFICULT.
ESPECIALLY AFTER SERVING FOR
THAT MANY YEARS AND PUTTING
ON THE UNIFORM, SO MANY TIMES.
THE LAST TIME I PUT IT ON, IT’S
EMOTIONAL.
AINSLEY: YOU’RE BEING FORCED TO
LEAVE YOUR JOB BECAUSE YOU DON’T
WANT TO GET THIS VACCINE.
ARE YOU ALONE IN THIS IN YOUR
DEPARTMENT?
>> I’M DEFINITELY NOT ALONE.
THERE’S SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE
THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT BACK
THIS , AND IT’S UNFORTUNATE,
BECAUSE THEY WERE DOING WEEKLY
TESTING FOR VERY SHORT PERIOD OF
TIME BEFORE THEY MOVED ON TO
THIS MANDATE, AND WHILE MOST
PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO DO WEEKLY
TESTING, THEY WOULD MUCH RATHER
DO THAT AND KEEP THEIR JOB, THAN
BE FORCED TO GET A VACCINATION
AND THE MAYOR HAD SAID THAT THIS
WAS DONE TO PROTECT THE
EMPLOYEES AND THE POPULATION
, BUT THE THING IS
, THEY’RE NOT TESTING THE
VACCINATED EMPLOYEES AND WE
ALL KNOW THAT VACCINATED PEOPLE
CAN GET THE VIRUS AND SPREAD IT
WITHOUT KNOWING EVEN, SO THAT
DOESN’T SEEM RIGHT, AND HE ALSO
HAD SAID THAT THE PERCENTAGE
WENT UP FROM 82 TO 85% AND HE
HAD SAID THAT THE STRATEGY IS
WORKING, AND IF THE STRATEGY IS
TO FORCE PEOPLE TO DECIDE
WHETHER TO HAVE A LIVELIHOOD OR
GET THE VACCINE, THAT’S NOT
SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.
AINSLEY: I KNOW THAT YOUR
DEPARTMENT’S ALREADY UNDER
STAFFED SO IF SO MANY PEOPLE
QUIT THAT’S GOING TO BE
DETRIMENTAL TO THE COMMUNITY
WHEN THEY CALL 911 AND THERE
AREN’T ENOUGH OFFICERS TO COME
TO THEIR RESCUE AND AID.
I KNOW YOU’RE NOT AN ANTI- VACCE
R.
YOU DON’T WANT TO BE FORCED TO
PUT SOMETHING IN YOUR BODY FOR
RELIGIOUS REASONS.
WHAT WILL YOU DO NEXT?
HOW WILL YOU MAKE MONEY?
>> I HAVEN’T EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT
THAT.
I AM RETIRED.
I HAVE MY RETIREMENT.
AFTER I RETIRED I BECAME THE
RESERVE BECAUSE I WAS MAKING
EXTRA MONEY, AND I DON’T KNOW IF
WE COULD ALWAYS SAY EXTRA,
BECAUSE WE ALL GET ENOUGH JUST
TO PAY THE BILLS BUT I’LL FIND
SOME WAY AND IT’S REALLY, MONEY
’S NOT IMPORTANT TO ME
RIGHT NOW.
IT’S THIS CAUSE AND MY OTHER
PEOPLE IN THE GROUP.
AND IT’S NOT JUST POLICE OFFICER
S, IT’S OUR DISPATCHERS,
IT’S PEOPLE IN EVERY OTHER CITY
FUNCTION AND LIKE YOU SAID,
THEY’RE VERY UNDER STAFFED.
YOU CAN’T FIND QUALIFIED PEOPLE,
AND ALSO, YOU CAN’T LOSE THESE
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE FOR SO
MANY YEARS.
YOU’RE NOT LOSING JUST A PERSON,
YOU’RE LOSING ALL OF THAT
EXPERIENCE AS WELL.
AINSLEY: DO YOU FEEL DEFEATED,
ABANDONED, WHO DO YOU BLAME FOR
THIS?
>> I DON’T FEEL DEFEATED AT ALL
, BECAUSE I HAVE STRENGTH, I
HAVE FAITH, AND I KNOW THAT IT’S
GOING TO TURN OUT RIGHT, BECAUSE
I BELIEVE THAT GOD’S LEADING ME
IN THIS DIRECTION, AND WE’RE
GOING TO WIN, IN THE END.
AINSLEY: HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT
MOVING AND GOING TO AN AREA
WHERE YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE
VACCINATED?
>> YEAH, I BE LYING IF I SAID
IT HASN’T CROSSED MY MIND, BUT
THERE’S SO MANY OTHER THINGS
RIGHT NOW THAT ARE IMPORTANT
HERE, THAT I WOULD NOT MOVE ON
BEFORE THEY’RE TAKEN CARE OF.
AINSLEY: REAL QUICKLY, DAVID,
WHY DID YOU SERVE?
>> I SERVED BECAUSE I HAD A
SKILLSET THAT TURNED OUT TO BE
REALLY GOOD FOR THAT, JUST ENJOY
TALKING TO PEOPLE, REALLY, WE
ALL SAY WE WANT TO SERVE THE
COMMUNITY.
I REALLY DID ENJOY THAT.
I LIKE TO HELP PEOPLE.
I LIKE TO FIGHT FOR THE VICTIMS.
I WORKED IN SO MANY DIFFERENT
UNITS, JUST SO I CAN SERVE
PEOPLE IN MANY DIFFERENT
CAPACITIES, AND I ENJOYED IT.
AINSLEY: WELL YOU HAVE A SKILL
TO PROTECT THE COMMUNITY THAT
YOU LOVE SO MUCH, AND I’M REALLY
SORRY THAT YOU’RE NOT GOING TO
BE ABLE TO DO THAT ANYMORE, BUT
YOUR FAITH WILL GET YOU THROUGH
THIS AND YOU’LL FIND SOMETHING