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BTV mayor releases community safety message

Submitted by tim on

by Burlington Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak 

Dear neighbors, 

I write with community safety updates.  

The City has experienced some scary and troubling events in the last couple of weeks, and my thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones, as well as with the community as a whole. I also remain grateful to our first responders. Their jobs are not easy, and we are all fortunate for their steady and capable response, unwavering service to the community, and ongoing collaboration in achieving our goal of a safer Burlington. 

I want to emphasize that the top priority of my administration is improving our community safety system so it is comprehensive, effective, and responsive to our community’s needs. Everyone deserves to be and feel safe in our city, and we still have work to do to get there. Our City team has been hard at work across multiple departments and in collaboration with community partners to develop and implement both immediate steps and longer-term strategies to address our health and safety challenges. 

In many cases, these challenges are complex, and we will need to try new things, to learn from new approaches, and to continuously adapt in order to improve our response. I want to be clear: adapting means actively exploring and encouraging new approaches that are data-informed and then evolving as new challenges arise in our community. To adapt to this moment means working to change things for the better, every day. Below is a summary of the important work the City is already doing.  

COMMUNITY SAFETY WORK TO DATE 

FATAL SHOOTING AT RED SQUARE 

  • I conducted an After-Action Review with my team on Sunday morning, the day after the incident, to identify ways to improve communication and coordination across city departments, as well as to identify immediate next steps related to gun violence and gun safety policy reforms.  
  • We then conducted an After-Action Review with Chief Murad on the incident and identified next steps, including better construction coordination so critical access points to Church Street are not blocked for emergency response purposes; stronger coordination between departments (BPD and CEDO/CJC) for better victim support post-incident; and review of crowd control to secure a crime scene. 
  • I met with Red Square owners within days of the August 24 incident to debrief and ask how the City can provide immediate and long-term support. Our Director of Business and Workforce Development will help convene a working group of downtown business stakeholders to address coordination in training, support, and response following this incident. I also shared with Red Square the victim services available through Burlington’s Community Justice Center (CJC), and the CJC then met with Red Square owners, provided updates about court proceedings and offered to accompany Red Square employees to court, and offered follow-up meetings with interested Red Square employees around their needs. Our team also created business cards listing victim support resources that can be shared with regulars at Red Square and with other bars and their patrons. BWD began distributing these cards last week. Businesses interested in obtaining these cards should reach out to [email protected].  
  • As a legislator, I introduced H.98 (2023) which included Burlington’s charter change provision to ban guns from all establishments that serve alcohol. This bill never received a walk-through or a hearing during the last biennium. In this same bill, I recommended additional tools coordinated by the state to help Vermonters access safe storage tools (safe storage is now required by law but lacks support provisions to help people access safe storage options). I will be recommending we add this to the City’s legislative agenda for 2025.  

HOT SPOTS 
This is a multi-department group that meets weekly, led by our Director of Business and Workforce Development. This is a key mechanism for identifying and then taking actionable steps, assessing, and then adapting based on results. In all locations listed below, increased police visibility has been directed to each site. This work is informed by the U.S. DOJ, which advises that the possibility of being caught by police deters behavior more than the threat of incarceration or lengthier sentences. This is why visibility and consistency are key in addressing these hot spot locations. The Hot Spots group has engaged various partners such as Howard Center Street Outreach, Burlington School District, local neighbors (Manhattan Drive), Boys and Girls Club, and GMT in addressing these locations.  

  • Library 
    • Strategies used: Increased police visibility, frequent visits by CSOs and CSLs, coordination with GMT to remove the bus shelter in front of FFL.  
    • Current Status: We have seen a reduction in negative behavior in front of the library, and we are currently working on strategies to address increased trash and overnight camping in the parking lot between the library and Memorial Auditorium.  
  • Marketplace Garage 
    • Strategies used: Increased visibility by BPD in July and August, and the Chittenden County Sheriff began midday patrols of the garage the week of 9/2.  
    • Current Status: BPD presence and new Sheriff’s patrols have had a positive impact, reducing negative behaviors in the garage.  
  • Buell Street 
    • Strategies used: Increased BPD patrols, drug-related arrests, as well as increased visits by CSOs and CSLs, and enforcement of camping prohibition in rights-of-way  
    • Current Status: Negative behavior on Buell Street has decreased significantly in recent weeks.  
  • Downtown BHS/Transit Center  
    • Strategies used: Effort by BPD to have officers present (or CSOs when officers unavailable) at the beginning and end of the school day. 
    • Current Status: Additional work by DPW to increase pedestrian safety on Cherry Street between Downtown BHS/BTC and the Transit Center and creating a dedicated parking spot for BPD cruiser Monday thru Friday. 
  • Manhattan Drive Rt 127 Bike Path Entrance (at the top) 
    • Strategies used: Ensuring the gate at the top of the bike path is locked consistently, increased patrols by BPD, and work by CSLs.  
    • Current Status: BPD patrols have had a positive impact on negative behaviors in this area.  
  • Downtown 
    • Strategies used: Increased BPD visibility and foot patrols on the Marketplace. 
    • Current Status: Numbers for several incident categories are down compared to last year.  We are acutely aware that challenges remain in the downtown core, and we will continue to try new strategies, increase coordination, and adapt based on results.   

YOUTH INVOLVED VIOLENCE 

BSD and Youth service organization leaders have previously met to discuss youth violence, and I am convening a meeting with this group this week. We will discuss the current situation and violence prevention efforts that are under way, as well as identifying future efforts that can help address youth violence. 

I have engaged anti-violence organizations including the Vermont Network to help advise the City on preventative strategies that interrupt violence within families and communities. They will be part of the next Public Forum on Community Safety in November.  

As with gun violence, youth violence is an important place to engage the legislature in developing proactive, data-informed policies. We need to avoid reactionary changes to our laws that increase penalties and lead to disproportionate negative impacts on marginalized communities, especially Black and Brown youth and lower income families. We must continue to make strides on Raise-the-Age efforts, which are data- and brain science-informed strategies for changing behaviors of justice-involved youth.  We must not react to unwanted behavior by enhancing penalties for youth while offering nothing in the way of supportive resources or proactive strategies for violence intervention and prevention. We must avoid creating long-term negative outcomes for our youth, and as a community we must remember that Burlington is home to a high percentage of young people who identify as BIPOC as well as youth who came to our city as refugees. We need to work harder to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of our youth, and doing so is a key part of our community safety strategy. 
 

ROLE OF INGRID JONAS, SENIOR ADVISOR ON COMMUNITY SAFETY 

Ingrid Jonas joined our team officially on Tuesday, September 3. Her primary assignment is to analyze our community safety system, research alternative models with better outcomes, and provide recommendations to the Mayor on how we can adapt our structure and approach. In the more immediate term, Ingrid will: 

  • Advise on our response system to avoid duplicative efforts and best use existing staff in most effective ways;  
  • Strengthen our public engagement system so individuals know who to call for a response and support; 
  • Oversee implementation of the recommendations made by the Mayor’s Community Safety Advisors;  
  • Advise the Mayor and Department Heads in ongoing Hot Spot response work; and 
  • Support the creation of procedures for stronger city coordination for victim and public services to support those impacted by violence, theft, and other harm in our community. 

 

SIX RECOMMENDATIONS FROM COMMUNITY SAFETY ADVISORS & NEXT STEPS 
Between May and July, my office convened more than 20 community members, including BHS students, downtown employees, business representatives, faith leaders, law enforcement professionals, and others to discuss safety in Burlington. The conversations resulted in immediate, and longer-term recommendations. The immediate recommendations, and the status of implementation is listed below. 

  • Recommendation: Clearer “who-to-call" community safety response system. Improved non-emergency phone number and resources.  
    • Status: Our Department of Business and Workforce Development worked with BPD to update BWD's 'Who-to-Call' Downtown Safety and Security guide, and we are working with BPD to make the non-emergency line more user-friendly. 
    • Senior Advisor Ingrid Jonas will coordinate work on non-emergency reporting line and other non-emergency reporting mechanisms. 
  • Recommendation: Staffing BPD entrance to support public and information hub.  
    • Status: Job description is drafted and currently under review. Our goal is to create a dynamic position to support the public and the department. We are also identifying funds to reallocate for this additional investment in community safety. 
  • Recommendation: Improving safe access to public bathrooms in inner core of city.  
    • Status: Parks Department currently working with staff to examine locations of restrooms and identify gaps in safe access to bathrooms.  
  • Recommendation: Improving case coordination among city departments and partners for better outcomes with individuals causing harm.  
    • Status: Outreach workers currently meet regularly to discuss 
    • Senior Advisor Ingrid Jonas will engage with outreach workers to better understand response systems and help identify ways to improve  
  • Recommendation: Improving City coordination and communication with State’s Attorney Office and the court system and identifying gaps.  
    • Status: Chief of Police will meet regularly with State’s Attorney Sarah George. The Mayor’s Office also has regular contact with the State’s Attorney and U.S. Attorney Office. The Mayor’s Office recently met with leaders in the Judiciary’s Treatment Courts to better understand that programming, and Judge Griffin has offered to present at an upcoming Public Forum on Community Safety. The Mayor’s Office, Senior Advisor, City Attorney, and CJC staff are tracking the Judiciary’s new pre-trial monitoring program ahead of its expected roll-out in January. 
  • Recommendation:  Use data to inform staffing and coordination of community safety response across departments.  
    • Status: Senior Advisor Ingrid Jonas will be coordinating and will work closely with Senior Policy and Data Analyst Nancy Stetson. 

FY25 COMMUNITY SAFETY INVESTMENTS AND STATUS 

  • Hiring of 10 police officers in FY25.  
    • Status: 4 recruits were hired in August and started at the police academy. One has since resigned. Sixty-eight (68) officers are currently employed by BPD as of August 15, 2024. 
    • Solutions:  
      • Meeting with BPOA for ideas, including exploring changes to lateral hiring practices. 
      • Regular meetings with Chief Murad to continually find creative, data-driven solutions to address gaps in service and staffing. Meetings will include Senior Advisor Ingrid Jonas. 
      • Adjusting CSL schedules to cover more hours of the day, 7 days a week. 
      • New facility for the police and fire departments. 
  • Hiring of 3 additional CSOs for a total cap of 11.  
    • Status: The BPD employs 5 CSOs currently, so has six positions to fill. 
  • Security investments at library for additional security and a social worker.  
    • Status: Fletcher Free Library will have expanded security to include weekend hours.   The hiring process for social worker is ongoing. 
  • Resources near encampments in 3 locations. 
    • Status: Resources placed at all three locations with the most recent placed about 2 weeks ago after community engagement meeting. Resource placement is coupled by increased BPD visibility and attention. There is a follow up meeting on September 18 to hear from community members about any negative impacts and if adjustments are needed.  
  • Continuation of BFDs Community Response Team (CRT) through FY25. 
    • Status: The BFD experienced staffing challenges throughout the summer under current pilot model, but pilot is ongoing.  
  • Hiring of a Senior Advisor on Community Safety. 
  • Status: Ingrid Jonas began on September 3rd. See above for more information on the scope of work. 

LOOKING AHEAD 

Sadly, Burlington is not alone in the concerning trends related to drug trafficking, gun violence, and an increase in violence overall in our state. Governor Scott made note of this in an August 27 WCAX Story. We have seen eleven gunfire incidents as of August 2024 compared to eight in August 2023. The City must revive our efforts to reduce gun violence through reforms such as banning guns in bars, actively supporting measures such as safe gun storage, and working with our state delegation on further reforms. We must respond to troubling trends in youth violence by making sure we are meeting the needs of our children and supporting anti-violence work with youth alongside our schools, youth advocates, service providers, and healthcare professionals. And we must also make sure that when violence happens, we respond quickly and meaningfully to the needs of victims and survivors.  

At the same time that we are experiencing very real safety issues, we also have reasons to be hopeful. We continue to enjoy strong community and visitor engagement in our downtown and high turnout at our many summer events in the core City. Gross receipts in the first quarter of FY25 are slightly above the same quarter in FY24. And we are still one of the safest cities in the country according to analysis by WalletHub (October 2023). Recent BPD data shows decreases in the numbers of several serious incidents categories as compared to 2023, with some numbers remaining flat and some numbers, such as domestic disturbances, gunfire, overdoses, and traffic incidents seeing troubling increases. In other words, we have some reasons to be hopeful while also having much work to do. Burlington is a dynamic city facing big city challenges that also offers an impressive array of creative, fun, and exciting opportunities. This weekend we welcomed thousands of visitors and locals to Art Hop and the Vermont Pride Festival. There is a lot to be proud of and to celebrate amidst our challenges. 

Our community’s health and safety challenges do not and should not define Burlington. We are a vibrant, healthy, and strong community, and that has not changed. We are at our best when we confront challenges and embrace opportunities together.  It will take time to do this work, and the only way we will solve these challenges is through sustained and unified efforts. These efforts can include not just the work of city staff and City Council, but also contributions by community members through their work and volunteering. Many of our city departments have volunteer opportunities for engagement that can contribute to community safety—from the library to Burlington City Arts to the Parks Department to the Community Justice Center. We need to support and participate in our NPAs and get involved at the neighborhood level. We can support youth in a myriad of ways, such as through mentorship programs at King Street Youth Center or by volunteering at the Boys and Girls Club or in our schools. And my team is working on bolstering graffiti clean-up efforts, which will provide city-wide opportunities to help beautify our city. These are just a few examples of the many ways we can work together to achieve our shared health and safety goals. 

CITY COMMUNICATIONS 

The City will be rolling out a new website near the end of September. This will improve access to information for residents through enhanced user friendliness and accessibility, including language access features.  

In addition to the Mayor’s media releases, we will have a dedicated page for updates from the Mayor’s Office to the public, which currently get distributed to Front Porch Forum and the Mayor’s email list. We will also work to update the page that details volunteer opportunities across the City. Community engagement is critical to improving community safety, and we are fortunate to live in a city full of caring, creative, and engaged people. 

The Mayor will continue to hold regular monthly meet-ups in every area of the City, and our office will strive to send out monthly communications to the Mayor’s email list and post them on the website.  

 

PUBLIC FORUMS ON COMMUNITY SAFETY  

  • New Date: September 19th 5:30-7pm. Agenda will include an update on City’s priorities by the Mayor; City Attorney Jessica Brown will provide a legal and procedural overview of conditions of release, bail, and the current court system backlog challenge; Senator Pro Temp Phil Baruth will speak on gun reform policy; and we will invite community input and questions.  
  • Next Forum will be November 7th from 5:30-7pm and will focus on anti-violence initiatives with emphasis on youth and families, and a discussion about victim services. 

Press Release Date: 

09/08/2024

City Department: 

Mayor's Office