Vermont State Police
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The Vermont State Police (VSP) is the state police agency for the US state of
Vermont Vermont () is a state in the northeast New England region of the United States. Vermont is bordered by the states of Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, and New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to ...
. The force has jurisdiction throughout the entire state. The Vermont Public Safety Commission directs policy and selects the commander. The commander is Colonel Matthew Birmingham. The Commissioner of the Vermont Department of Public Safety is Michael Schirling. There are 332 sworn state troopers.


History

Prior to 1947, Vermont law enforcement was county based. Each of the state's fourteen counties had an elected sheriff responsible for providing all law enforcement services to towns in the county without their own police departments. Opposition to establishing a state police force existed, partly based on the state's low crime statistics, a reluctance to add new state spending, and a suspicion of unelected centralized authority. On the state level, only the Department of Motor Vehicles Highway Patrol provided centralized, statewide law enforcement services. Members of that Department patrolled the state's roadways on motorcycles enforcing motor vehicle law and investigating accidents. Infractions not related to use of a highway or the safe operation of a motor vehicle had to be referred to a county authority. Communication with Highway Patrol members prior to the use of police radios was accomplished through posting of signs in public places. This method of communicating required a strong relationship with the public that was being served. Highway Patrol Officers would call their stations for messages about accidents or the status of motor vehicle complaints when signs were posted. Today this close association with the public would be considered community policing. The seed of the movement that would become a Department of Public Safety was first planted in 1935 when a special committee was formed to study the feasibility of a statewide police system. The results of this study were positive and support began to grow. The Vermont State
Grange Grange may refer to: Buildings * Grange House, Scotland, built in 1564, and demolished in 1906 * Grange Estate, Pennsylvania, built in 1682 * Monastic grange, a farming estate belonging to a monastery Geography Australia * Grange, South Austral ...
, at the time a powerful group, and many farmers were among the early supporters of a statewide law enforcement agency. The first bill to establish a Department of Public Safety was introduced in the 1937 biennial session of the
Vermont General Assembly The Vermont General Assembly is the legislative body of the state of Vermont, in the United States. The Legislature is formally known as the "General Assembly," but the style of "Legislature" is commonly used, including by the body itself. The G ...
. It was defeated. The defeat of the original proposal has been attributed to lobbying by the sheriffs who perceived a loss of power and a conservative legislature with a tight hold on the purse strings. The disappearance in 1946 of
Paula Jean Welden Paula Jean Welden (born October 19, 1928; disappeared December 1, 1946) was an American college student who disappeared while walking on Vermont's Long Trail hiking route. Local sheriffs were criticized for errors made in the investigation, which ...
, an eighteen-year-old
Bennington College Bennington College is a private liberal arts college in Bennington, Vermont. Founded in 1932 as a women's college, it became co-educational in 1969. It claims to be the first college to include visual and performing arts as an equal partner in ...
student, resulted in changes to the attitudes of many opponents of the formation of a Department of Public Safety. Bennington county officials were unsuccessful in locating the student and were forced to call on State Police investigators from Connecticut and New York for assistance. Local investigators and the state police forces from Connecticut and New York were at a loss for clues in the case so the
Governor of Vermont The governor of Vermont is the head of government of Vermont. The officeholder is elected in even-numbered years by direct voting for a term of 2 years. Vermont and bordering New Hampshire are the only states to hold gubernatorial elections every ...
called the
Federal Bureau of Investigation The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic intelligence and security service of the United States and its principal federal law enforcement agency. Operating under the jurisdiction of the United States Department of Justice, ...
(FBI). The case was never solved. This case, plus Governor Ernest W. Gibson's efforts ended a decade-long struggle with the
Vermont General Assembly The Vermont General Assembly is the legislative body of the state of Vermont, in the United States. The Legislature is formally known as the "General Assembly," but the style of "Legislature" is commonly used, including by the body itself. The G ...
passing Act No. 163. The agency authority was constituted on July 1, 1947, and styled "the Vermont Department of Public Safety."


Establishing the department

Major General
Merritt A. Edson Major General Merritt Austin Edson, Sr. (April 25, 1897 – August 14, 1955), known as "Red Mike", was a general in the United States Marine Corps. Among the decorations he received were the Medal of Honor, two Navy Crosses, the Silver Star, ...
, a former
U.S. Marine The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through com ...
and
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
recipient in World War II, formed the Department of Public Safety and became the first commissioner. The original strength authorized for the department was 169, with 37 civilians and 125 troopers. This class of troopers tallied a total of 606 years of service to the people of Vermont before retiring.


Establishing uniforms

The Vermont State Police uniform was modeled on the U.S. Marine Corps uniform of the mid-twentieth century, but adopted Vermont's state colors of green and gold, and remains a lasting legacy of Major General Edson. Twenty-seven officers from the Department of Motor Vehicles Highway Patrol were incorporated into the new department. Troopers were outfitted with khaki shirts with contrasting shoulder passant, cuffs, and pocket lapels on
Fern green Varieties of the color green may differ in hue, chroma (also called saturation or intensity) or lightness (or value, tone, or brightness), or in two or three of these qualities. Variations in value are also called tints and shades, a tint b ...
and trimmed in
Old Gold Old gold is a dark yellow, which varies from light olive or olive brown to deep or strong yellow, generally on the darker side of this range. The first recorded use of ''old gold'' as a color name in English was in the early 19th century (exact ...
galloon Galloon (sometimes spelled galon in British English) is a heavily-decorated woven or braided trim, typically made of, or featuring, gold or silver thread, which may be woven or embroidered. Galloon trim is used in the trim of military and police ...
. A
Fern green Varieties of the color green may differ in hue, chroma (also called saturation or intensity) or lightness (or value, tone, or brightness), or in two or three of these qualities. Variations in value are also called tints and shades, a tint b ...
necktie is worn. A
cloisonné Cloisonné () is an ancient technique for decorating metalwork objects with colored material held in place or separated by metal strips or wire, normally of gold. In recent centuries, vitreous enamel has been used, but inlays of cut gemstones, ...
coat of arms of Vermont The coat of arms of Vermont is the official armorial bearings of the U.S. state of Vermont. Most of the elements found in the coat of arms originate in the Great Seal of Vermont designed by Ira Allen. Whereas the Great Seal of Vermont is repr ...
in gold and enamel is worn on the shirt collars. Most members of the force wore
Fern green Varieties of the color green may differ in hue, chroma (also called saturation or intensity) or lightness (or value, tone, or brightness), or in two or three of these qualities. Variations in value are also called tints and shades, a tint b ...
breeches Breeches ( ) are an article of clothing covering the body from the waist down, with separate coverings for each human leg, leg, usually stopping just below the knee, though in some cases reaching to the ankles. Formerly a standard item of Weste ...
with a single or double
Old Gold Old gold is a dark yellow, which varies from light olive or olive brown to deep or strong yellow, generally on the darker side of this range. The first recorded use of ''old gold'' as a color name in English was in the early 19th century (exact ...
colored leg stripe, wool tunics of the same colors, a black
Sam Browne belt The Sam Browne is a leather Belt (clothing), belt with a supporting strap that passes over the right shoulder, worn by military and police officers. It is named after Sir Sam Browne, Samuel J. Browne (1824–1901), the British Indian Army General o ...
and
jackboot A jackboot is a military boot such as the cavalry jackboot or the hobnailed jackboot. The hobnailed jackboot has a different design and function from the first type. It is a combat boot that is designed for marching. It rises to mid-calf or highe ...
. The uniform remains with little modification. The Second World War association of breeches and jackboots with
Nazism Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...
caused many U.S. state and municipal forces to curtail use of breeches and jackboots except for mounted horse and motor patrols. In Vermont both troopers and game wardens of the state's Department of Fish and Game switched from the breeches and high polished black boots to tailored trousers, retaining the Old Gold leg stripes. The stripes of senior officers, that rank below lieutenant, are sewn onto the uniform pointing down, or similar to the British military forces and British police forces. This makes the VSP one of few American police departments that do so.


Initial headquarters

The first headquarters was established February 9, 1948, at Redstone in the state capital of Montpelier. For the price of $25,000, the State bought the building and of land. The photo lab was housed in the basement and equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. Housing the photo laboratory in the basement had a number of unanticipated consequences. Spring thaw and heavy rains flooded the cellar and personnel had to wear rubber boots and wade through the runoff.


Growth and development

The first State Police radio system was completed September 28, 1948. For the first time, a three-way radio system allowed stations to talk to each other and to patrol cars. The radio system did eliminate the need to post signs in public places. The year 1949 saw the creation of the Fire Prevention Division and the Identification and Records Division. The fleet was enlarged in 1948. The department purchased 25 Ford sedans, two Pontiac sedans, and one Pontiac coupe for a total price of $14,742.41. The State Police improved police services through training, public relations and safety education. The department became visible through appearances at fairs, in schools and civic gatherings. School safety patrols were started. For many years, end of the year school patrol picnics were a well-earned treat for the volunteers. Troopers joined these picnics serving hot dogs and ice cream to the students. General Edson resigned in mid-1951 after four years of valuable service. A number of changes came to the growing Department in the mid-1950s. The Field Force Division started using radar as a speed enforcement tool in 1954. Two bloodhounds joined the force and made contributions in searches and rescues. The Crime Lab began to use color photography as an identification tool. A new radio microwave installation was completed between Headquarters and the Rutland District Office. The department expanded into the polygraph field at about the same time. The first polygraph instrument was purchased and Trooper Glenn Davis became the state's first licensed polygrapher. Before this the department had to use facilities and examiners in neighboring states. The first year of polygraph operation 115 examinations were requested by law enforcement agencies. In the 1960s socio-economic changes took place with long-term effects on the capacities of law enforcement. The four season recreation industry created economic growth, and resulted in increased out-of-state visitors. Labor Day in the 1940s and 50s meant the end of heavy traffic, but during the early 1960s that changed as Vermont became the destination for fall foliage, hunting, skiing and snowmobiling. The departmental strength was 118 State Police and 60 civilians at the beginning of 1960. The state's population was 389,881. There were of Interstate highway compared with in 1998. Between 1960 and 1970 licensed drivers increased by 35%, the number of registered vehicles increased by 51%, and the interstate system was completed with of divided highway. The drug culture evolved in the 1960s. The department handled an increased number of complaints involving illegal drugs. By the late 1960s drugs had become a significant Vermont problem. The department and the legislature recognized the growing problem. The Legislature approved a Drug Abuse Control Program. The goal of the program was education, inspection and enforcement. The department conducted 56 drug investigations in 1968. That number had grown to 374 by 1970. Also in 1970, the department went on line with the FBI National Crime Information Center. NCIC messages increased from 430 in 1968 to 1,036 in 1970. Events of the 1960s led to the creation of a number of special teams and programs to meet the diverse needs of the population. A Marine Division was formed and became active in 1960. By 1966 it had five outboard motor patrol boats and a cruiser to patrol the State's waterways. A Search and Rescue Team was organized to look for lost persons and conduct rescues in our mountainous terrain. The department grew to 193 State Police and 85 civilians by June 30, 1970. The early 1970s saw the Crime Lab expanded to offer forensic chemistry. The first civilian, a chemist toxicologist, began to replace sworn police officers in the crime lab. A mobile crime laboratory was constructed to provide forensic services in the field. The department had six undercover officers in the 1970s. Long hair, dirty jeans, and thong sandals provided cover while they worked in narcotic interdiction. Executive Order Number 35 issued in May, 1971, turned the Pittsford Sanatorium over to the department for use as a law enforcement training facility. A Canine Unit was established to provide patrol dogs. The department had only tracking bloodhounds before this. The Identification and Records Division changed its name to the Vermont Criminal Information Center and became the official state repository for all criminal records, photographs, descriptions, and fingerprints. Capturing of this data was all done manually; not until 1976 was computer equipment purchased which allowed statewide access to the information. Data requests averaged 40 a day in the 70s compared to the current 271,000. The department hired the first two women troopers in 1977. In 2012 there were a 20 female Vermont State Troopers, encompassing various positions to include BCI, Child Abuse and Neglect investigators, training and recruitment, arson investigator, patrol commander, and patrol Troopers in 1998. Federal funds allowed for the creation of an Interstate Troop in 1977 to provide the speed enforcement of the program. A fraud unit was established in the 70s to investigate white collar crime. A newly constituted scuba dive team recovered drowning victims or evidence. The Fire Prevention Division was abolished and its functions transferred to the Department of Labor and Industry. An Arson Unit was formed with the responsibility for investigation of all suspicious fires in the State. By the end of the decade the Vermont's population had grown to 477,427. There were 383,108 registered vehicles and 352,715 licensed drivers. Department strength grew to 259 State Police and 120 civilians. Headquarters moved to the Vermont State Office Complex at
Waterbury Waterbury is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut on the Naugatuck River, southwest of Hartford and northeast of New York City. Waterbury is the second-largest city in New Haven County, Connecticut. According to the 2020 US Census, in 202 ...
from Montpelier in the Spring of 1983. The Communications Division had designed and installed a statewide microwave and telecommunications system. These services were provided by the department in support of all state agencies. In late 1987 the department was selected to administer a drug control and systems improvement grant from the federal government. This grant funded the first multi-jurisdictional drug task force in Vermont. The State Police transferred the Special Investigations Unit drug investigators into a new task force with a number of local departments supplying full-time investigators. In the 1990s the Department of Public Safety reorganized. Reorganization resulted in updating of rank of trooper, consolidation and reduction in the number of positions, sworn positions being replaced by civilians and the creation of the Criminal Justice Services Division to replace the State Police Support Services Division. The Vermont Criminal Information Center started the automation of criminal records in 1995. Records were automated and included all information on file for a person, eliminating the need for manually searching the files. Technological advances incorporated by the department allowed conversion to infrared driving while intoxicated (DWI) processing equipment, establish a DNA analysis capability in the forensic laboratory and install a computer aided dispatch (CAD) records management system.


Commissioners

#Merritt A. Edson 1947–1951, a retired Marine Major General #William H. Baumann 1951–1965. At thirty-one years old, he became the youngest State Police Commissioner in the nation. #E.A. Alexander 1965–1970. He held the rank of colonel. Alexander was the only appointed Commissioner who had been a Trooper promoted to Commissioner, having begun his career with the Motor Vehicle Highway Patrol in 1929. #E.W. Corcoran 1970–1977 #Francis E. Lynch (1977–1979) #Warren Cone (1979–1980) and, for a short period of time, former Commissioner Baumann returned to the ranks. #Paul R. Philbrook 1980–1984 #Charles A. Bristow 1984–1985 #A. James Walton, Jr. 1985–2003 #Kerry L. Sleeper 2003–2008 #Thomas R. Tremblay 2008–2011 #Keith W. Flynn 2011–2017 #Thomas Anderson 2017–2019 #Michael Schirling 2019 – current


Commanders

#Colonel Robert Horton #Colonel Lane Marshall #Colonel John Sinclair #Colonel Thomas Powlovich #Colonel James W. Baker 2006–2009 #Colonel Thomas L'Esperance 2009–2015 #Colonel Matthew Birmingham 2015 – current


Marine Division

The Vermont State Police has a Marine Division to patrol Lake Champlain, support the SCUBA team, and help the Search and Rescue team. In addition to policing and patrolling the Lake, they hold classes on Boater Safety to ensure the waterways are safe. They also work closely with the
Coast Guard A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...
unit stationed in
Burlington, Vermont Burlington is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the seat of Chittenden County. It is located south of the Canada–United States border and south of Montreal. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 44,743. It ...
. It was formed in 1960 alongside several other "Special Teams", such as the SCUBA team, and by the Mid-60s they had 5 out-board motor boats, and a 35-foot cruiser for use on Vermont's waterways.


Rank structure

The Vermont State Police, as a paramilitary organization, uses a formal rank structure to reflect the member's position and level of responsibility. The uniform and rank structure of the State Police is modeled after that of the United States Marine Corps. The department has three divisions: Field Force, Support Services and Criminal Division. Field Force is divided into two troops, A (north) and B (south). Each troop is commanded by a Captain. Within each troop are five barracks. Each barracks is commanded by a lieutenant and each barracks has 4 sergeants. Barracks have a varying amount of assigned troops based on patrol area size, call volume and other police coverage. These troopers are the front line uniform troopers that form the backbone of the State Police. They handle a variety of calls, ranging from traffic hazards, disturbances, domestics, traffic stops, 911 emergencies, crashes, assaults, etc. They are typically first on scene for many major incidents and support surrounding police agencies with cases outside of their scope of capabilities. Field Force members are often referred to as the "Tip of the Spear" and are the model law enforcement officers in the State. Criminal Division is divided into North and South and then four areas across the state: NE, SE, SW, and NW. The north and south are commanded by two captains and the quadrants each are assigned a Lieutenant. Within each area there is a varying amount of Detective Sergeants and Troopers that handle assigned cases. These cases include missing persons, assaults against children, dead bodies, sex assaults, crimes in detention centers, large fraud and misconduct, etc. Within the criminal division are other specialty units such as Major Crimes which handles homicides and police involved shootings, the Narcotics Unit, Technology Unit, and many others. The Support Services Division is in charge of recruitment, hiring, Standards and training of troopers. This division is headquartered at the Office of Professional Development attached to the Vermont Police Academy in Pittsford, commanded by a Major/Captain/Lt/5 Sgts and several troopers. The individuals assigned to this unit work a Monday – Friday schedule. To be eligible to participate in the promotional process for any rank a member must have received a rating of "meets or exceeds" in overall performance on his/her two most recent performance evaluations; and must have achieved an overall average in the most recent physical fitness evaluation to the extent contractually required unless excused by a medical certificate. All members begin their service with the state police as probationary Troopers. After one year of service they reach the rank of Trooper and earn their single stripe. Listed below are the various ranks and the insignia that each rank wears.


Fallen officers

Since the establishment of the Vermont State Police, six officers have died in the line of duty.


Equipment


Firearms


In popular culture

* In the 2001 comedy film, ''
Super Troopers ''Super Troopers'' is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and written by and starring the Broken Lizard comedy group (Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter and Erik Stolhanske). Marisa Coughlan, Daniel ...
'', and its 2018 sequel, ''
Super Troopers 2 ''Super Troopers 2'' is a 2018 American comedy film directed by Jay Chandrasekhar. A sequel to the 2001 film '' Super Troopers'', the film was written by and stars the Broken Lizard comedy team, made up of Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, St ...
'', the protagonists are Vermont state troopers. * Lieutenant Joe Gunther, the protagonist of
Archer Mayor Archer Mayor is an American author. He wrote the Joe Gunther detective series. Mayor is a Yale graduate and lives in Newfane, Vermont Newfane is the shire town (county seat) of Windham County, Vermont, United States. The population was 1,645 ...
's long-running mystery novel series set largely in
Brattleboro, Vermont Brattleboro (), originally Brattleborough, is a town in Windham County, Vermont, United States. The most populous municipality abutting Vermont's eastern border with New Hampshire, which is the Connecticut River, Brattleboro is located about no ...
, eventually takes an assignment with the VSP. * In 2012, it was discovered that an inmate (or inmates) at a print shop within a Vermont state correctional facility had altered the decals being printed for use on the cruisers operated by the VSP. The original decal featured an image of a
cow Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ma ...
grazing, and the alteration involved changing one of the spots on the cow to the outline of a
pig The pig (''Sus domesticus''), often called swine, hog, or domestic pig when distinguishing from other members of the genus '' Sus'', is an omnivorous, domesticated, even-toed, hoofed mammal. It is variously considered a subspecies of ''Sus ...
. "Pig" is a derogatory term for police officers.


See also

*
List of law enforcement agencies in Vermont This is a list of law enforcement agencies in the state of Vermont. According to the US Bureau of Justice Statistics' 2008 ''Census of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies,'' the state had 69 law enforcement agencies employing 1,103 sworn p ...
*
State police State police, provincial police or regional police are a type of sub-national territorial police force found in nations organized as federations, typically in North America, South Asia, and Oceania. These forces typically have jurisdiction o ...
*
State patrol A highway patrol, or state patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primar ...
*
Highway patrol A highway patrol, or state patrol is either a police unit created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is prima ...
* ''
Super Troopers ''Super Troopers'' is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and written by and starring the Broken Lizard comedy group (Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter and Erik Stolhanske). Marisa Coughlan, Daniel ...
'' *
BeSeatSmart Child Passenger Safety Program The BeSeatSmart Program is a federal grant-based program supported by the Governor's Highway Safety Program, Vermont, and hosted by The Vermont Department of Health. BeSeatSmart provides child passenger safety seats, hands on help, advice, consu ...


References


External links

* {{authority control Waterbury, Vermont State law enforcement agencies of Vermont Government agencies established in 1947 1947 establishments in Vermont