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.
This week the Burlington City Council voted to formally approve Jon Murad as the city’s regular police chief — he no longer serves as ‘acting’ chief, a title he had for three years due to opposition from city councilors.
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.
I urge Attorney General Clark to step back and rethink the best way to bring accountability to policing through the lens of procedural justice.
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.
“The committee will diligently review all relevant evidence, interview witnesses, and carefully assess the allegations against Sheriff Grismore and State’s Attorney Lavoie,” House Speaker Jill Krowinski said in a statement.
A bill making its way through the Statehouse would create increased scrutiny of Vermont’s sheriffs, which critics say is unnecessary and exhibits hostility on the part of lawmakers toward these constitutional officers.
The Senate Education Committee is moving forward with a bill, S.138, which is an Education School Safety bill on safety measures. This bill only addresses a sixteenth of the larger problem.
There have been some problems among sheriffs lately. But this bill goes way too far in trying to apply a legislative sledge hammer to what is primarily a human problem. What it does do is demonstrate a profound hostility toward sheriffs on the part of a few senators.