Acting Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad on Tuesday defended his department from yet another assertion that his officers use racial bias for their traffic ticketing duties.
I dislike seeing the military used to accomplish local and state government responsibilities. But, it is time for Burlington’s mayor to request the governor send the Vermont National Guard to Burlington and have it augment the city’s shrinking and overwhelmed police force.
From July of 2019 through June of 2020, there were 308 cases of assault. In just a year since the budget cuts, assault cases are up by 16 percent. Property crimes are on the rise too. And we’re seeing the number of shootings increase as well.
The Burlington City Council on Monday voted again not to hire new officers, even as the city sees consistent serious crimes committed, including at least one shootout in late July.
After midnight, 95 senators again signed on to an amendment that provided federal funds to hire 100,000 new police officers nationwide. Just Vermont Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders and Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania voted against.
As the Burlington City Council Ward 3 special election contest heats up, one issue that is dominating all others is policing — or the lack of it on city streets.
The news that our small business community has initiated a safety escort program to protect Church Street and surrounding area employees is a direct result of our City Council defunding the Burlington Police Department.
On the Morning Drive radio show this week, Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad responded to allegations that he is exaggerating the negative impact of staff reductions on 24-hour policing in the Queen City.
A sheriff is not a bureaucratic appointee and does not represent the federal government. Rather, your sheriff is a representative of the people and works for the people of his county. He can be the most powerful defender of your liberty.
“I’m not going to get ahead of his comments or remarks later this week, but it is an area where the president feels a great deal of the crime we’re seeing as a result of gun violence,” Psaki said.
The legislation, which won final approval in the state House of Representatives last week, would require the attorney general’s office to make the information subject to the state’s right-to-know law, allowing the public to see the names of the officers and their alleged misconduct.
It looks as if the surge in violent crime of 2020 is holding steady and perhaps escalating in 2021. Numbers on violent crime from cities around the country have jumped by historic and unprecedented rates in the past year.