BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Burlington voters next week are being asked again to weigh in on oversight of the Burlington Police Department. If approved by voters — and the Legislature — the charter change would grant more power to the existing police commission to review cases of officer misconduct.
“What we’re asking voters is whether or not they want to adopt a model that adds another layer of review,” said
City Council President Ben Traverse, D-Ward 5, who is part of a bipartisan group — which includes Burlington’s mayor — supporting the ballot item.
It would allow the police commission to review the alleged misconduct of members of the department. If they disagree with how the chief intends to punish the officer, the commission could offer an alternative. If two-thirds agree, they could hire an independent investigator to propose a punishment. The chief can either agree or disagree. If there is no consensus, another two-thirds majority would trigger an independent panel which would have the final say.
“The direction that we’re heading in is that this will be a panel of professionals like you have in a lot of regulatory boards for different professions around the state,” Traverse said.
Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad has spoken out against the measure, saying it would further hurt morale and could continue to harm recruitment and retention. “We’re doing things that other communities aren’t and that officers don’t want levels of scrutiny that go above and beyond that scrutiny they already have,” Murad told WCAX.
Despite that, the majority of the City Council is in support of more oversight and voted to put the charter change up for another vote.
It’s the third time city councilors have tried to make a change. In 2020 Progressive city councilors supported the creation of an independent community control board that had the power to hire, and fire cops, including the chief. Then, Mayor Miro Weinberger vetoed the proposal before it made it to a ballot. In 2023, activists petitioned to get a similar question on the ballot which was soundly defeated.
Councilor Joan Shannon, D-South, does not support the new measure. She says it’s another vote of no confidence in the police force and that it’s redundant because Vermont already has the independent Criminal Justice Council. “It has taken the certificates away from law enforcement who is acting inappropriately. They can put officers on probation, they can suspend them, or they can take away their certificates and they can’t be police officers,” she said.
Traverse and other supporters say this is a more city-centered approach and the right move for the future of Burlington that will help to restore faith in the department for some members of the community. Some of those members say that if this ballot measure fails, they will keep trying.