Pennsylvania Mayor Calls Out ‘Love Island USA’ Islander For Quitting Cop Job for Reality Show

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A season eight Love Island USA Islander is already catching flak, but it’s not from fans.

After Sean Reifel, 29, was revealed as one of the castmembers for the new season of Peacock’s hit reality dating show, a mayor in Pennsylvania called out the Islander for quitting his job to join the show.

Before being cast, Reifel was working as a police officer for the Bethlehem Police Department. “I’m not a model, not an actor, I’m a police officer actually,” Reifel said in Peacock’s “Meet the Islanders” video that was released last week. “You could be having the worst day of your life, and I’ll just help you sift through that.”

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But William Reynolds, the mayor of Bethlehem, recently shared that Reifel actually resigned from his position at the police department before going on Love Island USA, local ABC station WHTM reported. The police captain also confirmed Reifel was no longer employed with the department.

“Our police department spent a lot of time training and we paid thousands of taxpayer dollars to send him to the police academy. We are disappointed he left as we now have another vacancy in our department that is impossible to fill until next year,” Reynolds said. “I never thought I’d see the day in America where reality show participation wins out over being a police officer.”

According to a post on the Bethlehem Police Department’s Facebook page, Reifel was sworn in as an officer on Aug. 18 last year. “Please join us in congratulating Officer Reifel and wishing him success as he embarks on this journey of service to our community!” the post read at the time.

Reifel was among 12 other Islanders announced on Thursday for the new season. However, Vasana Montgomery was dropped from the show days ahead of the premiere after social media posts surfaced of her allegedly using the N-word.

Love Island USA premieres June 2 at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m ET on Peacock. Check out THR‘s show coverage here.

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