Central Vermont State Police Community Advisory Board

LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT GENERAL INFORMATION

Of the 251 towns and cities in the State of Vermont, there are approximately 200 towns like East Montpelier that do not have their own municipal police force. In those towns, if the town takes no action to provide for its own law enforcement needs, the Vermont State Police (VSP) is the default law enforcement agency. Those 200 towns collectively make up approximately 90% of the land mass and 50% of the population of the State of Vermont. To accomplish the task of serving as the primary law enforcement agency for such a large rural area, the VSP has twelve (12) field stations spread across the state; the field station that covers the town of East Montpelier is located in Middlesex. The Middlesex Station serves 18 such towns in Washington and Orange Counties. The cost of basic law enforcement services provided to the town by the VSP is borne by the State of Vermont through legislative appropriation; VSP does not bill the town for services unless the town chooses to contract with VSP for additional patrol time.

If a town (like East Montpelier) decides that they have a need for more police services than what the VSP can routinely provide they have several options, to include: empowering the town constables to supplement VSP coverage; contracting with a law enforcement agency (either VSP, or the county sheriff’s office, or a neighboring community’s police department) to provide supplemental coverage; or creating their own police department. For several years the town of East Montpelier has contracted with the VSP to provide approximately 40 hours per month of supplemental patrols, these are extra patrol hours over and above VSP’s routine coverage and are carried out by state police officers on an overtime basis.

State police officers (“troopers”) respond to a wide variety of calls for service, including the investigation of criminal acts, motor vehicle collisions, and any number of other miscellaneous incidents, in addition to patrolling state highways and town roads in an effort to enforce traffic laws as well as to detect and deter criminal activity. Because the VSP has to cover such a wide area with a limited number of troopers, it is not uncommon under some circumstances for troopers to take reports over the phone rather than responding in person. The VSP also provides a variety of specialized services including a Bomb Squad, Crisis Negotiation Unit, Scuba Team, Search and Rescue Team, and a Tactical Services Unit, as well as seasonal marine and snowmobile patrols.

LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT CONTACT INFORMATION

Vermont State Police

Vermont State Police, Middlesex Station
Emergency phone 911
Non-emergency phone 802-229-9191

In the event of an emergency (to report a crime in progress, a fire, medical emergency or any other life threatening situation) you should call 911. To contact the Vermont State Police for other non-emergency situations you should call (802) 229-9191.

State Game Warden

State Game Warden Dustin Circe
State Police dispatch 802-229-9191
Home phone 802-793-6629
dustin.circe@vermont.gov

The Vermont Game Wardens’ primary job is to protect the state’s natural resources. Wardens enforce all Vermont hunting, fishing and trapping laws. Wardens help prevent and resolve human-wildlife conflicts, including everything from the deer eating someone’s garden to a rabid raccoon in someone’s yard. Some of the reasons to call a Warden would be if you witness a law violation, like nighttime poaching, shooting from the road, hunting on posted property, or baiting/feeding deer. Also, if you have a problem with nuisance wildlife, beavers damaging your property, deer eating the garden, bears in your bee hives or damaging your property, you could call a Game Warden for assistance.

Washington County Sheriff’s Department

Washington County Sheriff’s Department
Phone 802-223-3001 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

The Washington County Sheriff’s Department has an agreement with the Vermont State Police in Middlesex to respond to serious calls received by the State Police, if the Sheriff’s Department is patrolling in the area or nearby and are requested by the State Police to respond. The Sheriff’s Department does not provide 24/7 police coverage or conduct criminal investigations. Citizens should call the Vermont State Police for immediate assistance. The Sheriff’s Department has an active Snowmobile Patrol.

East Montpelier Town Constables

First Constable — Jon Boucher; 802-917-4855

Vermont Constables can be called on to serve a summons from a court to a party in a lawsuit, destroy animals, kill injured deer, assist the health officer in the discharge of his or her duties, serve as a district court officer, and/or remove disorderly people from town meeting. Selectboards may direct their constables to enforce civil ordinances.

East Montpelier Animal Control Officers

Animal Control Officer — Carl Etnier; carl@etnier.net; 802-441-3337
2nd Animal Control Officer – Amber Perry; gaperry07@gmail.com; 802-498-5140

Animal Control Officers are responsible for capturing and impounding dangerous or stray domestic animals, investigating cases of animal cruelty, and enforcing licensing laws.

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This page brought to you by the Central Vermont State Police Community Advisory Board

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Central Vermont State Police Community Advisory Board

We are an independent, non-profit organization, created to provide an information conduit between the VT State Police of the Middlesex Barracks and the 18 towns in its service area, including East Montpelier. The Board meets 6 times a year to hear reports on the status of the Barracks personnel and learn about specialized services of the VSP. It hosts an annual picnic for the Middlesex Barracks personnel and their families in appreciation for their service. To discuss any non-emergency issues you may have, please contact the East Montpelier representatives:

Don Welch: 802-223-6208; dwelch595@gmail.com
Carol Welch: 802-223-6208; carol.welch13@gmail.com