New Detective at Westminster Barracks

By Layla Kalinen
Eagle Times Staff
WESTMINSTER, VT — Newly promoted Westminster, VT State Barracks Detective Brandon Groh joined the Westminster Barracks and Statewide Detective Crime Unit five days after his promotion.

Groh, who originally went to college to become an engineer at his parent’s wish, always saw himself serving in law enforcement. He’ll continue serving as a trooper out of the Westminster barracks.

He considers his new challenge to be a lateral move.

“I was what we call a road trooper, so I drove around or parked my car and sat in uniform and responded to calls for service doing traffic enforcement,” he said. “The types of crime that I investigate, as well, make my schedule different.”

The Vermont State Police hired him in February 2022, and before that, he was an engineer at a paper company in New York as a capital project engineer.

“I did that starting in 2017, and I became a shift supervisor for two years,” Groh said. “Prior to my leaving, I was an assistant machine manager who coordinated between maintenance and operations and when to take equipment down to be worked on.”

Groh said his parents told him his grades were too good for law enforcement, and he used his engineering degree in the private sector.

“I didn’t mind it, but I still felt I lacked a sense of purpose in what I was doing,” he said. “The Vermont State Police was always on my mind, and I decided to pursue law enforcement.”

Groh has unique on-the-job memories of his trooper days.

“The most inspiring moments of those two years were when I assured someone of their safety and just be the calming presence after their life has perhaps been turned upside down,” he said. “I start to remind them of what normal interaction looks like after what they’ve experienced may have been the worst.”