In a guest appearance on “The Morning Drive” radio show this week, the executive director of the Vermont Retail & Grocers Association said retail theft is a top concern for the many businesses her organization represents.
The Burlington Police Department has tracked 12,217 crimes on record for the year so far, a 26 percent rise over last year, according to the newest Police Chief’s Report.
The Vermont headlines reflect this clearly: repeat offenders are welcome in Vermont, including from New York City, Philadelphia, Boston and Chicago.
Another light bail sentence by the presiding judge in Caledonia County has elicited an angry letter from a Vermont state senator to his colleagues. “An assault weapon, cocaine and warrants, and is out on $200 bail, and this guy is still a Judge!?” Sen. Russ Ingalls said.
Vermont State Police and local departments continue to deal with shootings and other serious crimes, including a double shooting that occurred on Sunday in Leicester and another shooting in Burlington last week.
Gov. Phil Scott signed into law several public safety bills Tuesday. Taking away police officers’ immunity to civil suits was not among them.
On Tuesday, Republican Gov. Phil Scott inked seven bills pertaining to juvenile crime and weapons, crimes against health care workers, and school safety.
If we allow our politicians to embrace the philosophy that shoplifting is caused by poverty and should not be criminalized, we will kill our cities and descend into lawlessness.
I urge Attorney General Clark to step back and rethink the best way to bring accountability to policing through the lens of procedural justice.
Currently, the state Legislature cannot remove prosecutors through impeachment or recall elections, but the new bill will allow a complaint to be heard by a jury, and if proven guilty, a judge may order the attorney’s removal.
In murder cases like this one, and with serial killers, where the guilt is indisputable, it’s time to bring the death penalty back.
Vermont Attorney General Charity Clark’s office has directed the Vermont State Police to cite two of their own for simple assault and reckless endangerment following a 2022 non-lethal beanbag shooting of a disturbed man, the VSP said Monday.