Flanked by law enforcement officials at the Vermont Department of Public Safety headquarters in Waterbury, Vt., Sen. Bernie Sanders on Tuesday announced $500,000 in federal funding for Vermont law enforcement agencies.  Sanders secured the federal funds for programs providing police officers for public schools, technology upgrades for police training facilities, and digital cameras for county sheriffs. In addition, Sanders and Sen. Patrick Leahy secured funds for special investigations units. “At a time of budget belt-tightening, these grants will make a real difference for these agencies,” Sanders said. Vermont Department of Public Safety Commissioner Thomas Tremblay said, “We thank Sen. Sanders as he has once again provided funding for several projects that will greatly benefit the Vermont criminal justice system.” 

Also joining Sanders at the press conference were June Kelly, assistant director of the Vermont Police Academy, Lamoille County Sheriff Roger Marcoux, and Robert White, executive director of the Northwest Unit for Special Investigations.

“Some people around the country think that Vermont is a small state.  Well, maybe.  But tell that to the state troopers and sheriffs who travel thousands of miles around isolated back roads doing their jobs.  The state doesn’t look so small then,” Sanders said at the press conference. “The fact of the matter is that the police in Vermont are under a lot of stress because, in this very rural state, there are just not enough of them out there to do all the work we require of them.  These men and women are putting their lives on the line 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and I very much appreciate all that they do for the state of Vermont.”
 
Sanders announced a $100,000 grant that he and Senator Patrick Leahy secured for Special Investigation Units throughout the state. The unites are made up of specially-trained police officers, social workers, medical professionals, therapists, and prosecutors that investigate, advocate, treat and prosecute crimes of sexual violence and child sexual abuse. These multi-disciplinary task forces were originally formed in Chittenden, Franklin and Grand Isle counties. The funds would further expand the program throughout the state.

Another $100,000 grant that will go to the Vermont Department of Public Safety to support the School Resource Officer program. This program places sworn officers in public schools and is an important outreach tool that helps deter crime. These officers bridge the gap between law enforcement and students, promote positive attitudes towards law enforcement; prevent juvenile crime by helping students formulate an awareness of rules, authority, and justice; and instruct students how to avoid becoming a victim through self-awareness and crime prevention. “This is a very successful program that has already placed officers in school systems around the state of Vermont,” Sanders said. “This funding will help to place additional school resource officers in Vermont schools. I would now like to ask Vermont Department of Public Safety Commissioner Thomas Tremblay to say a few words about this program.”
 
A $200,000 grant was awarded for technology upgrades at the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council in Pittsford. The funding will be used to enhance the abilities of police recruits and seasoned officers by placing laptop computers in the hands of each student and providing them with Internet wireless access throughout the police academy campus.  The funding will allow student officers to access the most current references (statutes, regulations, and data) and resources on-line from the classroom or dorm.  It will also allow online testing, scoring, and feedback to students.  These enhancements will enable students in basic and in-service training to learn in a more modern manner. I would now like to ask June Kelly, Assistant Director of the Vermont Police Academy to say a few words about this project.

In addition, $100,000 was allotted to support technology upgrades for our sheriff departments to purchase digital in-car cameras which have proven invaluable when recording evidence gathered by law enforcement officers at motor vehicles stops.