The Divide in Emergency Response: What Vermont Demands of Its Police
In a library in Montpelier, a 20-something patron stood in the throes of a substance-induced crisis, agitated and delusional. The staff did not call the police; they called 911 dispatch, and three EMTs arrived. Those responders gave the man space, spoke to him with calculated patience, and slowly coaxed him toward an ambulance. It was a scene of de-escalation, professional care, and measured movement.
Weeks later, in a different Vermont community, a disheveled woman sat on a public bench, struggling with balance and mumbling in confusion. A passerby called for help. When the police arrived, the interaction took a starkly different turn. Two officers approached the woman, immediately flanked her, and—without a word—lifted her from the bench. As they moved her toward a cruiser, she gripped her belongings and shouted, “My bag, my bag!” One officer returned for her second bag, but when asked if the woman would be all right, he offered only a curt, dismissive reply. These two incidents, recounted by Tom McKone, highlight a growing tension in how Vermont communities manage their most vulnerable populations.
The question of what we actually want from our police is no longer a theoretical debate; it is a recruitment and retention crisis. Across the state, Montpelier and Burlington are grappling with open police officer positions and police chief vacancies. The staffing shortages are occurring as departments are increasingly tasked with duties that sit far outside the traditional scope of law enforcement, raising fundamental questions about training, resources, and the role of the state in social welfare.
The Statistical Reality of Modern Policing
To understand the current strain on departments, one must look at the volume of calls that have nothing to do with traffic enforcement or criminal investigation. According to statistics in Montpelier City Manager Kelly McNicholas Kury’s weekly reports, the Montpelier Police Department responded to 79 mental health-related calls and to 238 unhoused-related calls during the month of September. In that same 30-day window, the department responded to only nine traffic accidents and made only 13 traffic stops.
These figures suggest a systemic misalignment. While Vermont police undergo training for mental health interactions as part of their certification requirements, the sheer volume of these calls—coupled with the lack of 24/7 mental health professional availability—forces police to become the primary, and often only, responders. This is a statewide issue, not just a capital city concern. When society fails to provide adequate housing, mental health care, and substance abuse treatment, the burden of managing the resulting crises falls onto the shoulders of officers who are often ill-equipped or improperly trained for those specific tasks.
The Culture of Authority and Accountability
The friction between the public and the police is often exacerbated by the culture within departments. Critics argue that a tone set in Washington suggests that police are above criticism and maybe above the law. While many officers strive to uphold the dignity and value of all citizens, news reports in Vermont continue to highlight instances where police have mistreated individuals or abused their positions of power.
The stakes are high. When officers are called to handle a mental health crisis, their approach can be the difference between a peaceful transition to treatment and a traumatic or violent encounter. As McKone notes, the goal must be proactive community policing that emphasizes trust and de-escalation. This requires visionary leadership at the top. The selection of a police chief is a critical juncture for any municipality, as these leaders are responsible for instilling high expectations, correcting departmental weaknesses, and directing training where it is needed most.
Police chiefs play an especially important role. We need visionary leaders who see a superior model of policing and who have the know-how to bring that into their departments. They must be able to instill high expectations, to identify and correct areas of weakness, to direct ongoing departmental training where it is needed most, and to work with any employees who need extra help.
The Path Toward New Leadership
The immediate future of policing in Vermont’s major hubs rests on upcoming leadership decisions. In Burlington, Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak is expected to bring a police chief nominee before the city council on Nov. 9. Similarly, a search committee in Montpelier has narrowed its police chief pool to four candidates. For both cities, the ability of these incoming chiefs to prioritize compassionate, community-focused policing will be a definitive test of their administration.
Ultimately, the failures of the social safety net are a collective societal burden that cannot be solved by a badge alone. However, until the state makes a stronger commitment to eliminating poverty and ensuring universal access to mental health care, the daily interactions between police and the public will remain the primary theater for these failures. The question remains: which team of responders do we want working in our community, and what are we willing to demand from those we hire to serve us?
