Vermont Town Officials Seek Opinions on Police Review Board

February 15, 2022

A Bennington, Vermont task force is seeking opinions from the public about a recommendation for a police department review board in the southwestern Vermont community.

Bennington’s 10-member Safety and Equity Task Force released its recommendations to the select board last week for the creation of a police advisory review board.

The public comment period is now open and continues through March 7.

The recommendations call for a permanent board of five to seven members that would be appointed by the select board. The members would serve three- or four-year terms that allow for rotating appointments.

The Bennington Banner reports the goal of the board is “to improve and strengthen police community relations by creating an environment of trust and transparency.”

The task force grew from a series of recommendations from an International Association of Chiefs of Police study, commissioned by the select board, of the Bennington Police Department that was released in 2020.

Some had been critical of the department’s handling of the investigation into racially based harassment and threats against former Bennington state Rep. Kiah Morris who left office amid a reelection campaign in 2018.

Topics Law Enforcement Vermont

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