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| Home | Modify info | Search | Administrative Add URL (sw) | What's Cool | BurlingtonVT Police Department Burlington Police Department committed to policing with the citizens of Burlington to achieve a safe, healthy and self-reliant community. We aspire to be the foremost police agency in the nation by embracing community policing in our philosophy, organization and strategy. The BPD advertises that its core values include integrity, service, respect, and creativity. Click here to read more. (Link number 405 was added on 6-Mar-2002 and has had 91 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.police.ci.burlington.vt.us/ . ) Stories in the news Burlington Leaders: Voters Must Buy New Fire Trucks Demand on police and fire departments has been rising in Vermont's largest city, from increased airport security to a jump in drug overdoses. And so Mayor Peter Clavelle is calling for an upgrade, and more money, for the police and fire departments. Several factors have driven up the number of ambulance calls at a growth rate near ten percent a year; including a large daytime population and growing numbers of elderly, and a rash of heroin overdoses. Police, too, have seen an increase in emergency calls, and since the terror attacks, ten officers are now assigned to the airport. Police Chief Alana Ennis joined Clavelle at a news conference where officials pitched the need for a tax increase and a bond issue. "We really need the public support to meet these new demands for service, particularly since September 11th," Ennis said. Clavelle proposes to raise revenues through a property tax increase of five cents on the tax rate. popular (Link number 5 was added on 18-Dec-2001 and has had 175 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=590015 . This resource no longer appears to be available. But you are free to click on the red links anyway if you like. ) City to hold hearing on bar's responsibility in August stabbing A Main Street bar could be at fault for the stabbing of an alleged heroin dealer after a taproom fight early one August morning, according to the city. A trial-like hearing tonight could clarify what responsibility Burlington watering holes have to control patrons inside and outside their establishments. The city believes the staff at Ruben James, known as RJ's, should have called police and never should have turned patrons onto the sidewalk when a group inside became too rough. ... Bars are responsible for their clientele, under Vermont liquor regulations, whether the customers are inside or near the building. RJ's might have to stop selling liquor for more than a month if the city finds the bar at fault, RJ's attorney Mark Hall said. ... Bartenders leapt from behind the bar, and doormen came in to separate the unruly group, according to city and bar documents. No one called the police. Police instruct bar staff to call for help whenever there is a fight. (Link number 21 was added on 11-Feb-2002 and has had 12 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/bfpnews/local/monday/3000h.htm . This resource no longer appears to be available. But you are free to click on the red links anyway if you like. ) Burlington voters opt for the firefighters, not the truck Burlington's Fire Department can afford a new ambulance crew but not an ambulance after voters Tuesday passed a tax increase and rejected a $2.5 million bond that would have paid for fire equipment, according to preliminary city results. The bond, which would have bought four new fire trucks and an ambulance, needed support from two-thirds of the voters to pass. The measure fell short, winning 63.6 percent approval. A tax increase that will pay for 10 police officers, six firefighters trained to operate an ambulance and other staff passed 53 percent to 47 percent. The tax should raise more than $910,000 and add 5 cents per $100 of assessed property value to the Burlington tax rate. ... The city charter mandates that general obligation bonds receive a two-thirds vote to pass, Burlington Chief Administrative Officer Brendan Keleher said. The only exception is school general obligation bonds, which can pass with a majority vote, Keleher said. (Link number 24 was added on 6-Mar-2002 and has had 10 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/bfpnews/news/wednesday/5000h.htm . This resource no longer appears to be available. But you are free to click on the red links anyway if you like. ) An Eye for an Eye? It s starting to sound like police are involved in a war against the street people. I was having my dinner sandwich in the outside sitting area of the Red Onion sandwich shop, when a few youths came up with tempers flaring. Justine obviously wanted to do damage to something. Justine told me how the police had assaulted their friend with mace. Justine describe a scene where they were playing their drums and hanging out and a few officers walk up and asked the two girls that were with them who they were and how old they were. They told the girls the hippies would probably rape them. When the girl told the cops these guys were her friends, they proceeded to order the kids out of the park. Justine described how his good friend Chris asked  why?  According to Justine, the police would not say why they had to leave, other than  We decided to close the park.  Click here to read more. (Link number 45 was added on 5-Sep-2001 and has had 111 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://burlingtonvt.org/government-and-politics/city-government/an-eye-for-an-eye-qm.html . ) Local Police Seek New Recruits BURLINGTON, Vt. -- Several police agencies across the region are looking to fill vacancies on the force. Burlington police has about 10 open positions, even after hiring officers away from neighboring departments. The department pays for all training, and starting pay is about $30,000 a year, but finding people isn't easy. "I think Sept. 11 has refocused people on what it is that we do: police, fire and public safety in general. And it has resulted in more people coming back and investigating whether they want to do this as a career," Cpl. Tim Green said. The department is running public service announcements on television advertising the new positions, which are needed primarily to beef up security at the airport. -- end -- (Link number 82 was added on 25-Feb-2002 and has had 9 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.thechamplainchannel.com/news/1251878/detail.html . This resource no longer appears to be available. But you are free to click on the red links anyway if you like. ) Burlington voters face 4 spending proposals Burlington voters will decide Tuesday whether they want to spend hundreds of tax dollars each on police, fire and school projects. If voters approve the four spending proposals, taxes on a $150,000 house would rise more than $250. Voters who don't want to approve all four might have to choose between upgrading public safety and upgrading the education of Burlington's children. Fire and police management say their departments need equipment and crews to handle changing demands for their services. School leaders say they need to borrow money to fix long-standing building deficiencies and improve technology. The proposals to improve emergency equipment and school safety are in addition to the annual school budget. This year's $30.3 million budget could raise taxes more than 6 percent. (Link number 83 was added on 3-Mar-2002 and has had 10 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/bfpnews/news/sunday/5000h.htm . This resource no longer appears to be available. But you are free to click on the red links anyway if you like. ) Tow trucks were busy in the city of Burlington Saturday night and early Sunday morning, December 17th. Saturday was the first official snow emergency of the season in the Queen City. That meant that cars could not be parked on city streets. It allows snow plows to get around easier. Not everyone complied. Burlington police say 340 cars had to be towed and their owners were hit with a $75-dollar ticket. "I won't say it's the busiest," Burlington Parking Manager John King said. "It's the roughest, in that people are new, they forget, you have to explain the process. As we get into the winter, as we get more, they'll go down." King says his department is thinking of new ideas to better prepare residents for parking bans -- including e-mail notification of snow emergencies. -- end -- (Link number 112 was added on 17-Dec-2001 and has had 9 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=589040 . This resource no longer appears to be available. But you are free to click on the red links anyway if you like. ) Labor talks stalled and money is the problem. Contracts for at least six Chittenden County public employee unions have expired and renewal talks are hitting turbulence. The gap between what teachers and police want and what public officials will pay is wide this year, said Joe McNeil, a Burlington lawyer who is representing school boards and municipalities in a half-dozen labor negotiations. Burlington police want an 11 percent pay raise and Burlington teachers propose a 12.7 percent jump in base pay. South Burlington teachers have asked for a 28 percent raise over three years. Management is saying no in all three cases. ... Burlington police are asking for an 11 percent annual wage increase, Lewis said. The city's written offer called for no more than a 3 percent raise. The city also wants officers to pay more of their health care costs. Average salary is $37,415 per year. The officers have "slashed their wish list" in an effort to revive the negotiations, but the city has been unresponsive, Lewis said. (Link number 169 was added on 2-Aug-2002 and has had 9 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/bfpnews/local/saturday/1000h.htm . This resource no longer appears to be available. But you are free to click on the red links anyway if you like. ) Burlington Police Chief Alana Ennis gave out awards Monday for exceptional work to 15 officers, 13 staff and community members, and one police dog. The officers were recognized for specific efforts such as saving the life of an armed, suicidal man and for broader, ongoing efforts such as the arrests of heroin dealers. Staff and community members were thanked for their work on behalf of victims and general support of the department. The dog, Zeus, was rewarded with treats for his help locating marijuana during a traffic stop. The awards were given out at the annual Burlington Rotary Club Police and Public Service Awards luncheon. (Link number 294 was added on 26-Nov-2002 and has had 35 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/bfpnews/local/tuesday/5000h.htm . This resource no longer appears to be available. But you are free to click on the red links anyway if you like. ) Burlington police switched to new computer system. By Emily Stone Free Press Staff Writer If a Burlington police officer responds to a traffic accident at the intersection of Church and Main streets, there are at least 24 ways the officer can log that location into the statewide computer system back at the office. The location could go in as Church and Main or Main and Church, as Church at Main or Main/Church, etc. When the department wants to take a look at traffic accident trends at that intersection, someone needs to think up, and then type in, all 24 variations. This cumbersome process is one of the main reasons Burlington stopped using the state's approximately decade-old law-enforcement computer system last month. Since Dec. 1, the Burlington Police Department has been using its own, new system to collect and analyze data. Other Chittenden County departments will soon follow. Burlington's new system allows the department to track and sort crimes by a wide range of information, such as by weapon type, and to map crime patterns across the city. There's also a drawback. Leaving the state's system means that other departments can no longer access detailed information about Burlington's arrests and investigations. "There will be no sharing of in-depth information," said Max Schlueter, director of the Vermont Crime Information Center, which oversees the statewide reporting system. "People are disappointed that Burlington made this decision. On the other hand, Burlington police have certain responsibilities to the people of Burlington." Vermont is the only state with a statewide computer system that allows departments to share information. Schlueter said the creation of the system was groundbreaking at the time and other states still call him for information about the network. About a dozen other police and sheriff's departments are not part of the state system. The loss of Burlington's data has more impact because it is the second largest department after the Vermont State Police. "It was a hard decision, it really was," said Burlington Deputy Chief Steve Wark, who has worked for a couple of years with people in his and other departments to plan the new system. The department ultimately decided that it was worth giving up the shared information in order to have full control over detailed data from Burlington. The data allows the department to do sophisticated crime analysis, which is not possible on the state system. This makes for better policing, Wark said. Mapping car accidents will help police determine where to put the most effort on traffic enforcement. The same can be done for drug activity or noise complaints. "You can't problem-solve without data," Wark said. Other local departments will soon follow Burlington's lead. Winooski and the University of Vermont are planning to join Burlington's system and leave the state network by summer. South Burlington is working on duplicating the Burlington system and then sharing information with it in the next year. "We were the only state that had statewide connectivity. We did not want to lose that but we had no choice," said Winooski Police Chief Steve McQueen. "If we wanted to move forward and serve our communities we had to do this." How it works McQueen said he is tired of sitting with a print-out of crime data and using a highlighter pen to find trends. He has to do this if the City Council or other residents want information about crime patterns. To figure out, for example, how many accidents there were on East Allen Street last year, McQueen has to print out a year's worth of traffic accidents for the city. Then he takes his highlighter and marks anything on East Allen Street. Wark recently demonstrated how the new system can put together this sort of information in a matter of seconds. He used the mouse and a few keystrokes to create a map of all traffic accidents in the city. Another movement of the mouse can zoom in on any specific area. The same map could be done for heroin arrests or car break-ins or any other sort of crime. The system can also do searches based on telling information from a crime. An officer investigating a break-in where the rear screen door was cut with a knife could quickly check if any other break-ins fit that profile. Searches can be done to see if race-based crimes are increasing or if a certain type of drug is being found more often during arrests. Burlington spent $700,000 on the system, $500,000 of which came from a federal grant. Winooski, the University of Vermont and South Burlington have been part of Burlington's technology discussions all along. Once Burlington works out the bugs in its system, Winooski and UVM plan to join. Their cost will be much less because they don't need to set up a new system, simply hook onto an existing one. South Burlington, which has a different type of federal grant, is required by the grant to set up its own, separate system from Burlington, explained Lt. Todd Shepard. The systems will be identical and will be able to share information. Valuable information Burlington is keeping computers that can access the state's information, but the city won't be putting any data into that system, so other departments will not know what Burlington is up to. "I'm disheartened at the loss of Burlington as a member on the system," said Barre City Police Chief Trevor Whipple. "Their information is quite valuable to us." Whipple gave an example of how information sharing is useful. When a Barre officer pulls over a speeder, the officer calls in the name to the dispatcher. In the state system, the dispatcher can see, for example, whether the driver was pulled over the day before in Burlington and had heroin in the car, information that would obviously be useful to the Barre officer. With Burlington on a new system, the Barre officer is on his own. Burlington will continue to send the state a monthly list of all arrests in the city. No more current data will be shared. Whipple said he understands that Burlington police want to do more sophisticated data analysis. Barre officers can call Burlington if they want background information on a certain person, but Whipple said he doubts that will happen very often. The state is exploring ways to upgrade its system, which might make it possible to start sharing information with the Burlington computers, Schlueter said. This would be an expensive undertaking. In the meantime, departments will need to use their telephones instead of their computers to reach Burlington. UVM Police Chief Gary Margolis said this is what his department will do for the six or so months before it joins Burlington's system. "It means that we are going to have to work a little bit harder to make sure we are sharing information," he said. Once his system is up and running, he will gladly share UVM's information with other departments. "It is our intention to keep our information open to anyone in the law enforcement community who wants it," he said. "There is no hoarding of information." Contact Emily Stone at 660-1898 or estone@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com Sh-na-na's will be closed for two weekends as punishment following a sidewalk fist fight. City police filed a complaint against Sh-na-na's Bar last fall after two women patrons had a fist fight in front of the bar. City Council members recommended a two weekend liquor license suspension citing numerous prior problems at Sh-na-na's. Monday night the council voted on the issue after Sh-na-na's lawyer charged that the bar was being treated unfairly. The unanimous vote means that Sh-na-na's will be closed for the next two weekends. However, Sh-na-na's lawyer says the owners may try to get a court order to halt the suspension pending an appeal. Click here to read more. (Link number 328 was added on 11-Mar-2003 and has had 56 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=1173262 . ) Police union chief quits force By John Briggs Free Press Staff Writer Burlington police Cpl. James F. Mullins, a 19-year veteran of the department and the president of the police union, has submitted his resignation after an internal investigation uncovered wrongdoing, Police Chief Alana Ennis said. Mullins was assigned for 15 years to the police detail at Burlington International Airport. He won a departmental Distinguished Service Medal in November for training National Guard members and new officers assigned to the airport. Ennis said Mullins resigned after departmental investigator found he hadn't screened cars as required, falsified a log, and then lied to investigators about what he'd done. City Attorney Joseph McNeil said two officers assigned to the airport had been investigated. "One officer accepted a suspension and is serving it," he said. "Another officer was recommended for termination by the chief." Mullins confirmed Friday that he and Cpl. Timothy Ahonen had been targets of the investigation, but he said he had intended to retire early for medical reasons long before the airport investigation began. "I was not fired," he said. "The investigation was triggered by another employee who was falsifying information. It was all about Tim Ahonen, which I can't comment about. I was already in the process of applying for medical disability retirement. "I did nothing wrong as I understood it," Mullins continued, "and I followed the security protocols." Ennis, citing a section of the state's public record law that permits agencies to withhold records "maintained to hire, evaluate, promote or discipline any employee of a public agency," said for more than a month that she could not comment on the circumstances of Mullins' resignation. Friday, however, after learning that Mullins had spoken publicly about his resignation, she commented more openly on the case. "After a thorough internal investigation," she said, " James Mullins was found by the police department to have violated written procedures related to the screening of vehicles at (the airport). Mr. Mullins failed to screen and search vehicles as required and also falsified a departmental log regarding his actions. "Further," Ennis said, "the department found that Mr. Mullins was not truthful about his actions when he was questioned during the investigation. Therefore, I notified (him) that I was recommending the termination of his employment to the Police Commission as required by the city charter. "That disciplinary hearing before the commission"was scheduled for the evening of May 5," Ennis continued. "Mr. Mullins submitted a letter of resignation from the police department on the afternoon of May 5." She declined comment about Ahonen. Police Commission Chairman Jerome O'Neill said airport security wasn't compromised by the two officers. "The Police Commission has the opportunity to know and understand what the facts are in a situation like this and wouldn't for a moment tolerate a cover-up," he said. "I leave the decision whether airport security was compromised up to the chief," he added, "but I have no reason to believe security was compromised." Mullins said the departmental scrutiny of his conduct grew out of his duties as union president. Over the years, his involvement in contract negotiations had "cost the city a lot of money," he said. "We're involved in protracted contract negotiations now, (and) we're going to arbitration," he said. "Do you think any of that could be a motive?" Ahonen acknowledged last month that he had "broken (departmental) regulations. "I'm being punished for it and take responsibility for it," he said, "but I didn't break the law. I made a mistake and I'm paying for it. That's all." Mullins, 42, said he would continue as union president after his resignation. "I'm still president," he said. "I'm working out of my house to coordinate all the union activities and contract negotiations. "For the good of the union I appointed Cliff Robinson chief negotiator, but my term has 18 more months," he continued. "You don't have to be an employee to be union president." Robinson, also assigned to the airport, said Mullins would be missed at work. "He was the most knowledgeable officer in the department on airport operations," he said. "He trained new officers. He was the go-to guy." Mullins himself said he had no bitterness toward the police department in the aftermath of the investigation. "I feel I've been treated fairly by everyone there," he said. "I have nothing but good things to say about the Burlington Police Department." Contact John Briggs at 660-1863 or jbriggs@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com Some Champlain College students are helping Burlington's finest keep an eye on things. Most college students spend their summers life guarding or waiting tables to earn money, Half a dozen criminal justice majors are capitalizing on their free time by working for the Burlington Police Department's Parks Patrol. "I want to get a job doing something with police work," said Chris Alting. "I don't want to work in a restaurant washing dishes for the summer." Along with five of his classmates Alting, who will be a junior in the fall, tries to keep the peace without carrying a gun or making arrests. "We're mainly a visual deterrent. We deal with juveniles a lot. We talk to them about loitering." But some say these young guns do some loitering of their own. Click here to read more. (Link number 355 was added on 27-Jun-2003 and has had 14 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.abc22.com/home.php?story=3390 . ) Burlington's next police chief says he'll pay a lot more attention to young people, as well as improve the concept of community policing. Mayor Peter Clavelle announced the promotion of Deputy Chief Tom Tremblay to the chief's position today. "He knows Burlington, he knows policing, he's a man of utmost integrity," Clavelle summed up as he announced his choice. The appointment is subject to city council approval, which is expected without dissent. Among those congratulating Tremblay was 17- year city police veteran Steve Wark who competed for the job. Wark will continue as commander in charge of police operations, directly under the new chief. For years Tremblay worked as a detective, then won promotion to administrative and command positions. He helped put community policing in place. Then came a spike of violence in early August, a confrontation between two groups of young men involving a smashed windshield and gunfire. Click here to read more. (Link number 360 was added on 19-Sep-2003 and has had 28 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=1448683&nav=4QcRI4kR . ) Burlington Police department has a new deputy chief. Lieutenant Walt Decker's wife pinned on his new badge today. New Chief Tom Tremblay appointed Decker as deputy chief in charge of administration. Decker has worked his way up from patrol officer over nearly twenty years. The 96- member department is short-handed and looking for eight new officers. "If you haven't heard, we're hiring" said Decker. "We are hiring and looking for energetic, sprited, service-oriented people that want to join law enforcement." Chief Tom Tremblay/Burlington Police Dept: "We're very pleased and proud to serve as law enforcement in this city, one of America's most livable cities. And you can't be that without a good police department." Burlington has TWO deputy chief positions, and the other one -- in charge police operations -- is still held by Steve Wark. The hiring process for a police officer is extensive. Applications are received by Corporal Tim Green who casn be reached at 658-2704. (Link number 366 was added on 29-Oct-2003 and has had 17 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=1501268 . This resource no longer appears to be available. But you are free to click on the red links anyway if you like. ) A crackdown on ticket scofflaws is apparently paying off for the city of Burlington. Burlington's ticket administrator John King says police are issuing more tickets these days to people who violate the city's quality of life ordinances that prohibit loud parties, unleashed dogs, public urination, and other nuisance issues. King says the city has had the ordinances on the books for years, but historically police were reluctant to issue tickets because the fines often went unpaid. "People were taking tickets and throwing them in the street," according to King. But King says collections increased dramatically two years ago after the city started going after scofflaws with arrest warrants and credit bureau notification. King says the double-threat of jail or bad credit has paid off. Fine payments have more than doubled from 25 percent to 65 percent, while average monthly fine collections nearly tripled from $3,000 to $9,000. Click here to read more. (Link number 389 was added on 30-Apr-2004 and has had 48 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=1827825&nav=4QcRMidS . ) Operation Tattletale is part of expanded community policing policy and is based on the age-old notion that kids should never do anything they wouldn't be proud to tell their mom. ... Teenagers who misbehave in Vermont's largest city now have more to fear than the police. Burlington police are now notifying naughty teenagers' parents as part of Operation Tattletale. Starting this week, police will send a notification letter to the parents of teens aged 17 and under who get a warning or ticket for any traffic violation or municipal ordinance violation. Police say the letters will go out automatically, at no added cost, thanks to a new computer program. The first 100 letters will be mailed this week for teens who were warned or ticketed since March first. Deputy Police Chief Walter Decker says sporadic parental notification of teenage problem drivers overt the years has convinced him that Operation Tattletale will deter bad behavior. Click here to read more. (Link number 391 was added on 1-Jul-2004 and has had 6 hits. The source of this resource was found at http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=1981547 . )

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