Mayor Miro Weinberger Statement on Burlington Police Department Stabilization Plan
Burlington, VT – Burlington, VT – On Monday, September 27, Mayor Miro Weinberger and Acting Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad will be seeking City Council Approval for the Burlington Police Department’s $1.27 Million ARPA-funded Stabilization Plan, which would provide $1.12 million in retention incentives, and $150,000 in recruitment incentives. Mayor Weinberger made the following statement:
“I certainly recognize this proposal represents a significant deployment of our available one-time federal ARPA dollars, however, it is crystal clear that we must take immediate decisive action to stabilize the police department so we are able to keep our community safe. As a direct result of the Council’s action last year, we now face a stark reality, having lost more than 20 of our police officers, and according to a recent survey completed by the Burlington Police Officers’ Association, more than 50 percent of our remaining officers are actively working to leave our employment. If we let that happen, we will cease to have a fully functional police department in the City of Burlington. Public safety is the top responsibility of City government, and we are approaching the point where we can no longer fulfill this responsibility.
I once again am asking the City Council to send the message to the public and our officers that they share the priorities of public safety and maintaining a viable police department.”
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