A Pennsylvania mayor is calling out a Love Island USA contestant, and the internet is stunned.
Bethlehem Mayor J. William Reynolds appeared on TMZ Live on Monday to discuss former police officer Sean Reifel, who left the department after less than a year and joined Love Island USA.
The mayor compared the situation to leaving a mess for someone else to clean up, saying that cities invest time and taxpayer money in recruits with the expectation that they will serve the public for more than a few months.
Reynolds acknowledged that Americans can pursue the paths they want, even when that path leads from a patrol car to a villa full of singles.
He also pushed back on the idea that Reifel’s exit could be seen as a “blessing in disguise.” Reynolds said police work often matters most when officers stay long enough to build trust and long-term relationships in the communities they serve.
Reynolds also talked to WHTM.
“Our police department spent a lot of time training and we paid thousands of taxpayer dollars to send him to the police academy,” said Reynolds.
“We are disappointed he left as we now have another vacancy in our department that is impossible to fill until next year. I never thought I’d see the day in America where reality show participation wins out over being a police officer.”
He isn’t the only one made at Reifel’s decision.
“I love Sean, he’s a good guy, he was a great officer, but I’m disappointed,” Bethlehem Police Chief Kott said via The Morning Call. “Just because we work so incredibly hard to try to recruit the best people we can to be part of the Bethlehem Police Department.”
Tune in to watch Reifel and the other islanders on Love Island USA Season 8, which premieres tonight at 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET on Peacock, with new episodes every day the first week.