Burlington’s safety issues have become a growing matter of public concern.
The issues regarding safety and police staffing are statewide and can not be solved with simple proposals or partisan objectives.
However, there are still actions that cities can take to mitigate the challenges they face.
While the 2020 City Council vote to cut Burlington Police Department staffing by 30% contained some integral and beneficial components to the current city government, the officer cap has become painfully regrettable.
The staffing cuts of 2020 also neglected to directly address issues regarding police oversight and racial bias, which were at the forefront of the 2020 police protests in Burlington.
Since this decision, a turbulent relationship between city officials and BPD has emerged. Despite a City Council vote to increase the officer cap from 74 to 87 in 2021, BPD has struggled to recruit sworn officers.
BPD has increased the hiring of unarmed and unsworn officers known as Community Support Liaisons and Community Service Officers, according to an April 17, 2022 VTDigger article.
Expanding the number of these positions within BPD will reduce the demand for sworn officers and increase the number of mental health professionals patrolling city streets.
Officers should not be exempt from accountability, nor should constituents’ concerns regarding oversight be invalidated. Too often have Burlingtonians been faced with excessive force or dismissive responders.
The people of Burlington deserve a dignified response from police dispatch even when officers aren’t available. More importantly, the people of Burlington deserve to know they won’t have an officer with a history of abuse responding when they call for help.
Right now, the city of Burlington cannot ensure that. This needs to change. Officers must understand that wanting a transparent and accountable police force is not the same as being anti-police.
In the fall, voters in Burlington approved a charter change to expand the oversight authority of the police commission, reducing the power of the police chief, according to a Nov. 5, 2024 VTDigger article.
If this charter change is approved at the state level, it will codify a new system of accountability that will help to promote trust between the community and the police.
However, officers have expressed concerns that if this charter change passes, it will affect recruitment and retention, according to an Oct. 16, 2024 Seven Days article.
Still, there are other initiatives the city can put forth to address these challenges.
To help with recruitment and retention, the city could expand paternal and maternal leave programs, attracting young officers. Increasing holiday leave would similarly help alleviate the stress of seasoned officers.
The city can also incorporate the construction of a new police station into the next city budget. The deteriorating condition of the current police station has been an issue for officers’ health and building a new station would provide officers with a dignified workplace.
Restaffing BPD is an integral part of promoting safety in Burlington. However, solutions should not be limited to policing. The city of Burlington is already working to establish an overdose prevention site and recently opened a homeless shelter and a Mental Health Urgent Care.
Even with these struggles, the vibrancy and vigor of Burlington remain. There are still concerts downtown in the summertime and many restaurants are packed year-round.
In 2020, the city of Burlington took bold strides to address its systemic inequities. It didn’t work. Now is the time to get it right.
