We asked for answers. Now Burlington has them.

Over the last few months, BBF has been asking for updates and more opportunities for public engagement in Burlington’s search for a permanent police chief.

We asked you to contact your city councilors and the mayor on this issue, and you did. Thank you! Now we’re seeing the results:

We specifically asked the City to:

1. Release the results of its community survey,

2. Share who is involved in the hiring process, and

3. Tell residents where the search stands.

Earlier this week, the City Council received an update addressing each one of these points. Read on for a quick summary, or click here to get more details. [https://burlingtonvt.portal.civicclerk.com/event/8640/files/attachment/16977]

Residents were asked in the community survey about the qualities, skills, and priorities they want to see in Burlington’s next police chief. Here is what the survey showed:

Top five qualities and skills:

* Commitment to law and order

* Ethical and trustworthy leadership

* A record of reducing crime

* Conflict resolution and de-escalation

* A community-focused approach

Top three priorities for the next two to three years:

* Crime reduction

* Community policing and engagement

* Crisis intervention, advocacy, and mental-health programs

Top three crime and law-enforcement priorities:

* Drug enforcement

* Violent crime

* Property crime

These results give the public a much clearer picture of what Burlington residents want from the next chief: effective public safety leadership, strong ethics, crime reduction, community trust, and the ability to respond thoughtfully to mental health, substance use, and other complex challenges.

In addition to the survey results that show what kind of Chief the city is looking for, the city also shared:

* The major themes raised through community focus groups

* The full membership of the Police Chief Hiring Committee

* The number of applications received

* The timeline for interviews and the final selection

As the full update showed, [https://burlingtonvt.portal.civicclerk.com/event/8640/files/attachment/16977] the City received 15 applications and is currently assessing the candidates, interviews are expected to take place in July and August, and the goal is to identify a final candidate by September.

This is a meaningful step forward. BBF raised these questions, residents spoke up, and the City responded with significantly more information about one of Burlington’s most important hiring decisions. We appreciate the Mayor, City staff, International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), and the City Council for making this information public.

As the search moves into its next stage, BBF will continue working with members of the Council’s Public Safety Committee to uplift opportunities for residents to remain informed and engaged.

For now, this is real progress and an important result of residents like you making your voices heard.

Thanks for being part of this work,

Sam

Building Burlington’s Future