WATERBURY, Vt. — The Vermont State Police has posted on its website new data regarding officer-involved shootings in the state, providing comprehensive, transparent information to the public and allowing for updates as needed.
The webpage is available at the following link: vsp.vermont.gov/ public/ oisdata.
A previous state of Vermont data website contained information on officer-involved shootings from 1977 to 2015. Recently, the state police undertook an effort to update the data with all cases since 2015, to provide more thorough information about older cases, and to ensure the information is included under the VSP domain online.
“Posting this information on our website demonstrates that we are being thoroughly open and transparent regarding a matter of significant importance to the communities we serve, to the state of Vermont, and to law enforcement itself,” said Col. Matthew T. Birmingham, director of the Vermont State Police.
Members of the Vermont State Police have been involved in 43 shootings since 1977, when VSP recordkeeping on the subject began. In 41 of the cases, the use of force was found to be justified following outside, independent reviews of the incidents. Reviews are pending of the two most recent cases, which occurred in May 2019.
The new webpage also includes a chart that tracks the rise in officer-involved shootings over the years – a trend that is apparent nationally as well as in Vermont.
“We want the public to be aware of these incidents, to understand the dangers that state troopers and all members of law enforcement encounter on the job, and to be up front and accountable when officer-involved shootings occur,” Col. Birmingham said.
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