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“Love Island USA” Season 8 contestant Sean Reifel was blasted by a Pennsylvania politician for resigning from his bull duties to compete connected nan making love reality TV show.
Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds blamed 29-year-old Reifel for allegedly leaving nan Bethlehem Police Department short-staffed little than a twelvemonth aft he was sworn in.
“Our constabulary section spent a batch of clip training and we paid thousands of payer dollars to nonstop him to nan constabulary academy,” Reynolds told section news outlet WHTM.
“We are disappointed he near arsenic we now person different vacancy successful our section that is intolerable to capable until adjacent year.”
He added, “I ne'er thought I’d spot nan time successful America wherever reality show information wins retired complete being a constabulary officer.”
Reifel’s erstwhile boss, Police Chief Michelle Kott, besides voiced his disappointment complete nan resignation.
“I emotion Sean, he’s a bully guy, he was a awesome officer, but I’m disappointed,” Kott told section outlet The Morning Call over nan weekend.
“We activity truthful incredibly difficult to effort to enlistee nan champion group we tin to beryllium portion of nan Bethlehem Police Department.”
Kott besides explained why nan upcoming reality prima was incapable to return a time off of absence and return to his duties aft nan show.
“At this time, I don’t deliberation there’d beryllium a section that would beryllium consenting to let personification to time off for ‘x’ magnitude of weeks to spell connected a tv show erstwhile everyone’s hurting correct now and overtime is being utilized to capable those gaps,” Kott said. “Officers are getting burnt out. It’s conscionable a bad look to me.”
Despite his resignation, Reifel still introduced himself to Peacock viewers arsenic a bull successful nan 2nd charismatic trailer that revealed nan first 12 Islanders.
“I’m not a model, I’m not an actor, I’m a constabulary officer, actually.” Reifel boasted while showing disconnected his precocious assemblage spot by stepping connected his hands. “You could beryllium having nan worst time of your life, and I’ll conscionable thief you sift done that.”
The Pennsylvania autochthonal has already made headlines for allegedly being involved successful a nasty custody battle pinch nan mother of his 2-year-old son.
Reifel isn’t nan only Season 8 formed personnel to look backlash earlier nan play moreover premiered.
Contestant Vasana Montgomery was axed from nan upcoming season aft videos surfaced of her utilizing a group slur.
The 26-year-old contestant from Beaverton, Oregon, was filmed allegedly singing nan N-word successful a opus lyric, according to TMZ.
A root adjacent to production told Decider that nan videos were privately owned and that they were only made alert of them aft Montgomery had been announced arsenic portion of nan cast.
“Love Island” Season 8 premieres Tuesday astatine 9 p.m. ET connected Peacock.
