Public Safety Committee

City Council - Public Safety Committee Thursday, July 24, 2025, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom and In-Person in the Champlain Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 149 Church St, Burlington, VT When: Jul 24, 2025 05:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Topic: Public Safety Committee Meeting Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android: https://zoom.us/j/94861953158 Phone one-tap: +16469313860,,94861953158# US +19292056099,,94861953158# US (New York) Join via audio: +1 646 931 3860 US +1 929 205 6099 US (New York) +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC) +1 305 224 1968 US +1 309 205 3325 US +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago) +1 564 217 2000 US +1 669 444 9171 US +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose) +1 689 278 1000 US +1 719 359 4580 US +1 253 205 0468 US +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma) +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston) +1 360 209 5623 US +1 386 347 5053 US +1 507 473 4847 US Webinar ID: 948 6195 3158 International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/a1D2R6LK4 1. Adopt the Agenda 1.1. Motion to amend/adopt agenda 2. Adopt Minutes 2.1. Motion to adopt draft minutes from June 26, 2025 3. Public Forum Subject 3.1. PUBLIC FORUM - Verbal Comments Page 1 of 15  Meeting July 24, 2025 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, July 24, 2025, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom and In-Person in the Champlain Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 149 Church St, Burlington, VT Category 3. Public Forum Department Type 4. Chiefs' Reports and Department Updates Subject 4.1. BPD Meeting July 24, 2025 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, July 24, 2025, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom and In-Person in the Champlain Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 149 Church St, Burlington, VT Category 4. Chiefs' Reports and Department Updates Department Type Recommended Action Subject 4.2. BFD Meeting July 24, 2025 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, July 24, 2025, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom and In-Person in the Champlain Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 149 Church St, Burlington, VT Category 4. Chiefs' Reports and Department Updates Department Type Recommended Action 5. North Beach - Community Safety/Quality of Life Concerns Subject 5.1. North Beach - Community Safety/Quality of Life Concerns Meeting July 24, 2025 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, July 24, 2025, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom and In-Person in the Champlain Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 149 Church St, Burlington, VT Category 5. North Beach - Community Safety/Quality of Life Concerns Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action 6. Downtown Circle - City Council Presentation Subject 6.1. Downtown Circle - City Council Presentation Page 2 of 15  Meeting July 24, 2025 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, July 24, 2025, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom and In-Person in the Champlain Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 149 Church St, Burlington, VT Category 6. Downtown Circle - City Council Presentation Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action 7. State's Attorney Data Subject 7.1. State's Attorney Data Meeting July 24, 2025 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, July 24, 2025, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom and In-Person in the Champlain Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 149 Church St, Burlington, VT Category 7. State's Attorney Data Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action 8. Community Safety Kiosk Subject 8.1. Community Safety Kiosk Meeting July 24, 2025 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, July 24, 2025, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom and In-Person in the Champlain Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 149 Church St, Burlington, VT Category 8. Community Safety Kiosk Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action 9. Other Items and Next Meeting Subject 9.1. Other Items and Next Meeting Meeting July 24, 2025 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, July 24, 2025, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom and In-Person in the Champlain Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 149 Church St, Burlington, VT Category 9. Other Items and Next Meeting Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action Page 3 of 15 10. Adjournment Subject 10.1. Motion to adjourn Meeting July 24, 2025 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, July 24, 2025, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom and In-Person in the Champlain Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 149 Church St, Burlington, VT Category 10. Adjournment Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action 11. Informational and Non-Discrimination Statements Subject 11.1. This agenda is available in alternative formats upon request. For more information on access, call Lori Olberg, Licensing, Voting and Records Coordinator (802-865-7136)(TTY 802-865-7142). Persons with disabilities who require assistance or special arrangements to participate are encouraged to contact 802-865-7000 (voice) or 802-865-7142 (TTY) at least 72 hours in advance so that proper arrangements can be made. The City of Burlington will not tolerate unlawful harassment or discrimination on the basis of political or religious affiliation, race, color, national origin, place of birth, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, HIV positive status, crime victim status or genetic information. Meeting July 24, 2025 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, July 24, 2025, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom and In-Person in the Champlain Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, 149 Church St, Burlington, VT Category 11. Informational and Non-Discrimination Statements Department Council and Board Type Page 4 of 15  Public Safety Committee Thursday, June 26, 2025 Remote via Zoom/In-Person in Champlain Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, Burlington, Vermont DRAFT MINUTES Members Present: Melo Grant (Chair), Mark Barlow, Buddy Singh Staff Present: Hayley McClenahan (Assistant City Attorney), Michael Curtin (BFD Battalion Chief), Shawn Burke (Police Chief), Ingrid Jonas (Senior Advisor on Community Safety) Public Present: Meeting called to order at 5:32 PM by Councilor Grant. 1. Adopt the Agenda 1.01 Adopt the Agenda Motion to Adopt Agenda as written. Motion by Councilor Barlow, Seconded by Councilor Singh Final Resolution: Motion Passes Yes: Unanimous 2. Adopt Minutes 2.01 Motion to Adopt Draft Minutes from May 29, 2025 Motion to Adopt Agenda as written. Motion by Councilor Barlow, Seconded by Councilor Grant Final Resolution: Motion Passes Yes: Unanimous 3. Public Forum 3.01 Verbal Comments No action was taken. Public forum closed at 5:33. 4. Fire Chief’s Report 4.01 Fire Chief’s Report Chief Curtin reviewed the latest Fire Commission report from the Fire Department. No action taken. Page 1 of 2 Page 5 of 15 5. BPD Check-in 5.01 BPD Check-in Chief Burke reviewed the latest updates from BPD. No action was taken. 6. State’s Attorney Case Data 6.01 State’s Attorney Case Data Councilor Grant reviewed the latest clearance and filing data from the State’s Attorney’s Office. No action was taken. 7. Situation Room 7.01 What is it, who is involved, and when will it start – Ingrid Jonas Senior Advisor Jonas overviewed the Situation Table program Burlington will be launching soon. No action was taken. 8. Other Committee Business 8.01 Other business The Committee discussed future review of updates to the Sheltering on Public Lands policy. Councilor Grant also mentioned having the lead park ranger attend a future meeting. No action was taken. 9. Adjournment 9.01 Motion to adjourn The meeting was adjourned with no objection at 6:48 PM. Page 2 of 2 Page 6 of 15 July 22nd, 2025 Chief’s Report – Burlington Police Commission Operations: The department is leveraging all elements of the organization: Sworn Officers, Community Service Officers, Crisis Advocacy Intervention staff, and Street Outreach in response to calls for service. The data below illustrates how human resources have been deployed: Another relevant data point - the top ten incident categories the organization is attending to: Page 7 of 15 The department has continued to maintain a strong focus on the downtown area of the city. This effort is measured by a few different incident categories that fall in the catchment of “proactive incidents”. Proactive incidents are simply a measure of how staff are using their discretionary time focused on areas of interest: The community has been very receptive to the efforts staff are investing in keeping the downtown area safe. The underlying cause of much of the disorder downtown remains to be individuals with unmet social service needs who are treatment / service resistant. The Mayor’s Office recently launched a new program to assist with addressing individuals at acute elevated risk of harm – the Situation Table. Burlington is the fifth community in Vermont to launch this program which is granted funded by the Department of Public Safety. The program is structured to evaluate individuals at greatest risk on a weekly basis, identify the interventions needed to best serve the individual, and to deliver an intervention within 24 to 48 hours. The table is not a duplication of work but rather a structure that improves efficiency and synchronization of services. Page 8 of 15 The table had its first meeting in mid-July where the first two situations were undertaken. The department is optimistic that this level of weekly intervention will be helpful in addressing the apparent mental health and substance use crisis in the community. Personnel: This month, we bid farewell to two dedicated members of our department as they enter a well- earned retirement. Corporal Tom Chenette is retiring after 20 years of exemplary service. He has accepted a new position with the State of Vermont. Corporal Carolynne Erwin is also retiring, having served the department with distinction for 21 years. She will be moving on to a new role in the private sector. Both Cpl. Chenette and Cpl. Erwin have made lasting contributions to the Burlington community and will be deeply missed. We are proud to welcome them into the ranks of our retired personnel and thank them for their decades of service and commitment. The department is proud to announce the appointment of Jon Young as the new Deputy Chief of Operations. With over two decades of distinguished service in law enforcement, Deputy Chief Young brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and dedication to his new role. Deputy Chief Young has served in a variety of key leadership positions throughout his career with BPD, and has consistently demonstrated a commitment to community engagement, operational excellence, and public safety. Deputy Chief Young will oversee the day-to-day operations of uniformed services, working closely with the command team, officers, and community partners to ensure effective and responsive policing throughout the city. Lastly, the department will welcome a new police officer to our ranks on July 28 th. Ratna Polk will spend one week of orientation before they attend the 120th session of the Vermont Police Academy. Page 9 of 15 Policy / Direction: During the months of June and July the department has been focused on the following: • Implementation of the formal recruitment plan. • Focused foot patrol initiatives in City Hall Park and on Church Street – Uniform Services and CSO ranks. • Improvements / Updates to the Police Department web site. • Improved customer service greeting created for the BPD business phone lines. • Engaged with the Hot Spot working group - City Attorney / Burlington Business & Workforce Development. • Continued work with the City Data Team in developing products which illustrate our work, the overlap with social services, and Fire / EMS. • Development of revised versions of DD 01 Law Enforcement Role & Authority, DD 14.1 Body Worn Camera, and DD 29 Online Reporting. These draft policies will be presented to the Police Commission soon. Page 10 of 15  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 Chief’s Report to the Public Safety Committee: June Data Points July 24,2025 Call Volume & Activity Summary Total Incidents for the month of June: 904 Total Incidents YTD: 6336 (As of 7/23/25 @ 20:00) • Fire Incidents: 114 • EMS: 555 • Hazmat: 20 • Service Call/Public Assist: 73 During the same period in 2024, we responded to 979 incidents, a 7.6 % decrease for the month of June. Page 11 of 15  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 EMS Data: The following charts presents monthly data on EMS-confirmed overdose and drug-related incidents in our community from 2021 through June 30, 2025. It categorizes the top types of substances involved, based on working diagnoses and secondary impressions gathered in the field. •Incidents involving opiate abuse (e.g., heroin, fentanyl) are consistently the highest among all substance types. •The second most frequent category involves other non-opiate illicit drugs or misuse of medications. These are legal medications being used improperly (e.g., anti-anxiety meds, sleep aids, ADHD stimulants) Page 12 of 15  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 Personnel & Staffing Total Department Staff: Uniformed Members 88 / Authorized 95 • Minimum Daily Staffing: 22 • Vacancies: 7 • June Overtime Hours: Minimum Staffing: 556.5 Mandatory: 162 / June 2024: 666 Mando:68 • Injuries/LOA/FMLA: 2 Opened the combined lateral and entry level application process that close 8/31. Currently have 9 applications for the lateral position and 35 for the entry level position. Community Engagement • Schiffiliti Park 75th Anniversary – Members of Ladder 4 and Ambulance 4 attended. • BHS Students public safety class tour at Central firehouse. • Engine 5 public education at 67 Scarff Ave. Tour of apparatus and engagement with grandparents and children. • Fire Extinguisher Training conducted by FMO. • Lithium Ion Battery Education with Locomotion and Director of City Planning • Social Media : Page 13 of 15  Outlook North Beach From Evan Litwin <elitwin@burlingtonvt.gov> Date Tue 7/22/2025 3:50 PM To Mark Barlow <mbarlow@burlingtonvt.gov>; Buddy Singh <bsingh@burlingtonvt.gov>; Melo Grant <megrant@burlingtonvt.gov> Cc Allie Schachter <aschachter@burlingtonvt.gov> Good Afternoon Public Safety Committee Members, I won't be able to attend Thursday's PSC meeting but wanted to provide my thoughts in writing for the record and for you all to consider with regards to your agenda item on North Beach, which I thank you for agendizing this summer. After receiving some complaints I made 2 separate late evening visits around the 4th of July weekend at approximately 7:15pm and 8:00pm respectively. I spoke with BPRW seasonal staff present on both occasions, beachgoers, and the business owner of the Tiki Bar also came out to talk to me and thank me for my visit. I also spoke with a BPD Officer who was making a routine visit to the lot. Here are my observations and some recommendations for consideration: 1. I observed and was informed by every single person I spoke to about heavy binge drinking, particularly by young people. I saw glass bottles of hard liquor being consumed along with glass bottles of beer and liquor on the playground—which I observed while another family's children were trying to use the playground. a. Anecdotally I received the following info from staff and BPD: i. Police say pay at the gate being taken down is a big part of the problem because it is allowing for the same people to drive up and down doing liquor runs and picking up/dropping off friends all day and evening. He recommended returning to a model that would discourage that. ii. Drunk driving is a shared concern and this is particularly worrisome given the presence of young children and the winding, dark, narrow roadway that goes through the heavily used campground. I would like to recommend a targeted DUI operation here at the end of the day as well. iii. Staff told me instances where children were caught drinking with adults including a teenager who was blacked out on the beach and a 13-year-old who was playing beer pong. Staff have done their best to safely intervene but many seasonal staff are high school and college students and I remain concerned for their safety. iv. I heard from several people that having BPD's "yellow shirts" would be helpful in the evening moreso than the day. I heard it was not helpful to have 3 of them showing up, standing around observing at 1pm when the real problems are occuring as the day gets later on. Yellow shirts have to be in a minimum of 2 but I'm not sure why I frequently see 3 together. It feels like a scheduling issue that could be addressed. v. The rear parking lot to the playground is woodsy and out-of-sight. This has made it attractive to younger people who want to blast music out of their cars and use the playground area as a party space. I observed this myself. a. I would highly recommend that we block off that parking lot with sawhorses each day and use it only as overflow parking as needed and close it earlier in the day with signage that says folks need to move their cars by 5:00pm. I believe this would cut down on overall Page 14 of 15  troubling behavior related to drinking and partying because the less out-of-sight people can be with their behavior the less attractive that behavior becomes at North Beach. b. I wonder if a CSL or CSO could be more present at North Beach during summer high season? The visible presence of a vehicle and occasional walk throughs may make families and beachgoers more comfortable while also making folks who are engaging in harmful behavior less comfortable being there. Thank you for the consideration, Evan Evan Litwin (he/him) Ward 7 City Councilor Be Alert: Visit SeeClickFix or download the app to submit a wide variety of service needs around our city including street or sidewalk pavement issues, graffiti on public property, greenbelt violations, and dozens of other community concerns. Select "Parks Department Issue" to report encampments, down trees, or other issues in city parks. Stay Informed: A huge amount of city business is discussed and worked out in committee first. Visit CivicClerk to view all public meetings and associated documents for City Council, boards, and committees. Once logged in, click the "Manage Subscriptions" button in the upper-righthand corner to get email alerts for any committee or board you are interested in when they post their agenda! Learn more about our various Boards, Commissions, and Committees and how to apply to join one. Impacted by Conflict or Crime?: Burlington Police Department: Online reporting is no longer accessible, victims of crime should report incidents directly to a dispatcher. Other helpful resources include: understanding and accessing the array of services offered by the Crisis, Advocacy, Intervention Programs (CAIP), understanding the BPD Priority Response Plan created due to the severe officer staffing shortage, reporting suspected drug activity using the Drug Tip Form, and if you had a positive or negative interaction with BPD you can use either the compliment or complaint forms. Community Justice Center: Get assistance from the Burlington Community Justice Center. They offer a wide array of programming and services, including if you’ve been a victim of harm or crime, or are struggling with neighborhood conflict. Questions About Minimum Housing Codes: Property owners/managers are expected to meet our minimum housing code standards and to be aware of them. Anyone with questions about those requirements can refer to Chapter 18 of our City Ordinances. Tenants who believe they may have a violation are encouraged to contact the Department of Permitting and Inspections so they can inspect the issue. These standards help keep everyone safe in a building, including your neighbors. Ward 7 residents should feel comfortable reaching out to me if they need additional support. Renters Who Have Had Security Deposits Withheld: Burlington exercises its authority granted by the Vermont Legislature to hear cases and issue rulings where a tenant believes some or all of their security deposit was unfairly withheld. Tenants who wish to exercise this right following a move-out must file a claim within 30 days of receiving their itemized withholding statement (mailed within 14 days), or 44 days if no statement was ever provided. I encourage all property owners/managers and tenants to review the requirements for withholding a security deposit in Burlington, which varies from state standards in some ways. Please note that this communication and any response to it will be maintained as a public record and may be subject to disclosure under the Vermont Public Records Act. Page 15 of 15