(KERO) — What's the leading cause of death right now for police officers?

It's COVID.

According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, COVID has killed five times as many officers as gunfire since the start of the pandemic. But nationwide some police officers and unions are pushing back against vaccine requirements.

In Chicago, about 4,500 police officers didn't report their vaccination status by Oct.15th as mandated by the city.

In Seattle, the force lost some 300 officers over the past 18 months.

But what could continued clashes mean for public safety?

"I think we're going to have to see who blinks first," said Cheryl Dorsey, a retired LAPD police sergeant.

Kern County has lost two law enforcement officers to COVID, Kern County Sheriff's Deputy Gabriel Gonzales and California Highway Patrolman Scott Merritt.