A Pennsylvania mayor has criticised a Love Island USA contestant for resigning from his police officer post less than a year after being sworn in, in order to appear on the reality dating show.
J. William Reynolds, the mayor of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, said the department spent thousands of taxpayer dollars training Sean Reifel, 29, who was sworn in as a police officer in August last year. Reynolds expressed disappointment that Reifel left, creating a vacancy that cannot be filled until next year.
“I never thought I’d see the day in America where reality show participation wins out over being a police officer,” Reynolds told local ABC outlet WHTM on May 29.
Reifel, who described himself in promotional material as a police officer, has not responded to the criticism. He is likely already in Fiji filming season eight of the Peacock series, which premieres on June 2.
The season eight cast also includes a Paralympic athlete and a British-born islander whose brother competed in season seven. One initially announced contestant, Vasana Montgomery, was dismissed before the premiere after resurfaced videos showed her allegedly using racial slurs.
