Public Safety Committee

City Council - Public Safety Committee Thursday, June 25, 2026, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom OR In-person at Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor City Hall, 149 Church St Join from PC, Mac, iPad, or Android: https://zoom.us/j/99714407803?pwd=h1FHmmD3fsV9x6rEzA5fbwyNEoXe0U.1 Passcode:555251 Phone one-tap: +19292056099,,99714407803#,,,,*555251# US (New York) +13017158592,,99714407803#,,,,*555251# US (Washington DC) Join via audio: +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) +1 646 931 3860 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 +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 Webinar ID: 997 1440 7803 Passcode: 555251 International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/adJdxdNIr1 1. Adopt the Agenda 1.1. Motion to amend/adopt agenda 2. Adopt Minutes 2.1. Motion to adopt draft minutes from May 28, 2026 3. Public Forum Subject 3.1. Verbal Comments Meeting June 25, 2026 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, June 25, 2026, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom OR In-person at Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor City Hall, 149 Church St Page 1 of 25  Category 3. Public Forum Department Type 4. Appeal of Trespass Order/Hearing - POSTPONED Subject 4.1. In re: matter of Todd Deluca - ***ITEM POSTPONED TO A FUTURE MEETING TBD *** Meeting June 25, 2026 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, June 25, 2026, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom OR In-person at Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor City Hall, 149 Church St Category 4. Appeal of Trespass Order/Hearing - POSTPONED Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action 5. Chiefs' Reports Subject 5.1. Fire Meeting June 25, 2026 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, June 25, 2026, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom OR In-person at Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor City Hall, 149 Church St Category 5. Chiefs' Reports Department Type Recommended Action Subject 5.2. Police Meeting June 25, 2026 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, June 25, 2026, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom OR In-person at Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor City Hall, 149 Church St Category 5. Chiefs' Reports Department Type Recommended Action 6. State's Attorney Report Subject 6.1. State's Attorney Report Meeting June 25, 2026 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, June 25, 2026, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom OR In-person at Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor City Hall, 149 Church St Page 2 of 25  Category 6. State's Attorney Report Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action 7. City Hall Park Challenges with Warmer Weather Subject 7.1. City Hall Park Challenges with Warmer Weather Meeting June 25, 2026 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, June 25, 2026, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom OR In-person at Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor City Hall, 149 Church St Category 7. City Hall Park Challenges with Warmer Weather Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action 8. Recommendations on Problem Animal (Moose) ***POSTPONED*** Subject 8.1. Recommendations on Problem Animal (Moose) ***ITEM POSTPONED TO A FUTURE MEETING TBD*** Meeting June 25, 2026 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, June 25, 2026, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom OR In-person at Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor City Hall, 149 Church St Category 8. Recommendations on Problem Animal (Moose) ***POSTPONED*** Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action 9. Recruitment and Chief Search Updates Subject 9.1. Recruitment and Chief Search Updates Meeting June 25, 2026 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, June 25, 2026, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom OR In-person at Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor City Hall, 149 Church St Category 9. Recruitment and Chief Search Updates Department Council and Board Type Recommended Action 10. Adjournment Page 3 of 25  Subject 10.1. Motion to adjourn Meeting June 25, 2026 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, June 25, 2026, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom OR In-person at Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor City Hall, 149 Church St 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 June 25, 2026 - Public Safety Committee Meeting Agenda - Thursday, June 25, 2026, 5:30 PM, Remote via Zoom OR In-person at Sharon Bushor Conference Room, 1st Floor City Hall, 149 Church St Category 11. Informational and Non-Discrimination Statements Department Council and Board Type Page 4 of 25  Public Safety Committee Thursday, May 28, 2026 Remote via Zoom/In-Person in Queen City Room, 3rd Floor, City Hall, Burlington, Vermont DRAFT MINUTES Members Present: Buddy Singh (Chair), Melo Grant, Laura Sanchez-Parkinson Staff Present: Hayley McClenahan (Assistant City Attorney), Michael Curtin (BFD Chief), Marsha McCombie (BFD EMS Battalion Chief), Kyle Blake (BFD Captain), Shawn Burke (BPD Chief) Public Present: Sarah George (State’s Attorney) Meeting called to order at 5:31 PM by Councilor Singh. 1. Adopt the Agenda 1.01 Adopt the Agenda Motion to Adopt Agenda as written. Motion by Councilor Sanchez-Parkinson, Seconded by Councilor Grant Final Resolution: Motion Passes Yes: Unanimous 2. Adopt Minutes 2.01 Motion to Adopt Draft Minutes from March 26, 2026 and April 20, 2026 Motion to Adopt Draft Minutes from March 26, 2026 and April 20, 2026. Motion by Councilor Grant, Seconded by Councilor Sanchez-Parkinson Final Resolution: Motion Passes Yes: Unanimous 3. Public Forum 3.01 Verbal Comments Public Forum closed at 5:24 PM. 4. BFD Report 4.01 BFD Report Chief Curtin presented April data for the Fire Department. Battalion Chief McCombie and Captain Blake presented on EMS data. No action was taken. 5. BPD Report Page 1 of 2 Page 5 of 25  5.01 BPD Report Chief Burke presented on BPD’s latest incident, response, and personnel data. No action was taken. 6. State’s Attorney 6.01 State’s Attorney State’s Attorney George discussed strategies for mitigating retail theft going into the summer months and positive case trends. No action was taken. 7. Chief Search Update 7.01 Chief Search Update Councilor Singh provided an update on the search for a new Chief of Police. No action was taken. 8. Committee Discussion on Goals 8.01 Committee Discussion on Goals The Committee discussed their goals for the next year. No action was taken. 9. Adjournment 9.01 Motion to Adjourn The meeting was adjourned with no objection at 7:30 PM. Page 2 of 2 Page 6 of 25  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: May Data Points June 25, 2026 Call Volume & Activity Summary: Total Incidents for the month of May: 956 Total Incidents: (As of 6/1/26) 4412 • Fire Incidents: 196 • EMS: 689 • Hazmat: 8 • Technical Rescue: 16 • Significant Incidents: 1. 1st Alarm Structure Fire 15 Blondin Circle During the same period in 2025 we responded to 1023 incidents, a 6.5% decrease from last year. Page 7 of 25 BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 Page 8 of 25  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 This treemap summarizes the distribution of 870 completed and reviewed incidents by incident category and type. It reflects only reports that have been finalized and reviewed and does not include incidents that are still pending completion or awaiting approval, which may result in differences from total incident counts reported elsewhere. EMS Data: Confirmed drug overdose events have fluctuated significantly over the past five years, with monthly totals ranging from a low of 7 events in January 2021 to a peak of 47 events in September 2023. Following elevated activity during 2022–2024, overdose incidents generally declined through late 2025 and early 2026. May 2026 recorded 25 confirmed overdose events, representing an increase from the previous several months and the highest monthly total recorded so far in 2026. Page 9 of 25  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 This chart shows the number of BFD calls that were dispatched as overdoses each month, compared to how many were actually confirmed as overdoses once crews arrived on scene. While the total number of overdose- dispatched calls rises and falls over time, only a portion of those calls are ultimately confirmed by responders. In most months, confirmed overdoses make up roughly 20–40% of the total, with some variation. CRT Data for May 2026: Staffed 6 days for the month of May Total Contacts Narcan Kits Wound Care Comfort Care Referrals Kits Kit 27 0 0 0 1 Page 10 of 25  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 92 / Authorized 95 (5 recruits started 5/26) ❖ Arie Van Vuuren resigned 5/14/26 and has been hired by a department in Colorado. We wish him the best of luck. ❖ SFF Class completed ❖ FF/Medic Jason Paul received Excellence in Trauma Care award from UVM • Minimum Daily Staffing: 22 • Vacancies: 3 (as of 5/26) Recruits do not count for staffing until completion of academy • Injuries/LOA/FMLA: 9 • Staff Training Hours: 969 • Company Level Inspections: 3 • Preplans Completed: 52 Overtime Type 2025 Hours 2026 Hours %+- Minimum Staffing 726 1159.75 +59.7 Mandatory 185.75 228.5 +23 CRT 287.5 134.5 -53.2 Emergency 34.5 0 -100 Extra Duty Events 119 125 +5 Page 11 of 25  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 Community Engagement • 5/4 Burlington School District Safety Team Meeting • 5/5 Champlain Elementary School - Public Education – Engine 5 • 5/11 Flynn School Tour – Ladder 4 • 5/11 Ride Along- Ladder 2 • 5/21 Flynn School Tour – Ladder 4 • 5/25 Memorial Day Event – Ladder 2, Ambulance 2, Engine 1, Tower 1, Battalion 1 • 5/25 Ride Along Engine 1 and Engine 3 • 5/27 Edmunds Elementary School – Public Education • 5/27 Fire Safety Education- PP of fire types and fire extinguishers. Live fire training with water cans and Heritages Air training prop. • 5/30 Girl Scouts Career Fair - Fire Safety Education- Taught fire extinguisher use. Page 12 of 25  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 DIVISION UPDATES: Training Division: Eight members completed Swiftwater Rescue Technician training through Vermont EMS Academy. · Four members attended hands on skills training at Metro Boston Fire School. · Six members attended hands on Technical Rescue Training through New England Rescue Collaborative. · Three members attended Rope Rescue Operations with the Vermont USAR team. · Recruit Academy 26-01 is under way with five new recruits. The Academy is expected to finish on October 2nd. · The department is nearly finished with Spring Live Burn Training. B shift completed their burn on May 6, C shift on May 20. A shifts burn is scheduled for June 3rd. · The department received a grant extension for the Live Burn Training and will begin scheduling another round of live burns for the Fall. Operations Division: 4/17: Attended a LEMP meeting with representatives from the Red Cross and VEMA. · 5/6: Participated in a Live Burn training exercise with B Shift at the Vermont Fire Academy (VFA). · 5/14: Attended a recognition ceremony at UVMMC for members whose actions during a recent trauma incident resulted in a life-saving outcome. · 5/24: Staffed the EOC for the City Marathon; reported no significant events despite heavy rain. · 6/1: Attended the Boston Fire Department LODD funeral accompanied by a delegation of 11 department members. Ongoing & Regular Engagements · Budgeting: Active participation in budget planning meetings. · Dispatch: Ongoing attendance at regularly scheduled meetings with the Dispatch Supervisor. · Fleet Management: Regular meetings regarding the department’s fleet replacement strategy. · Inter-Agency Coordination: Regular meetings held with BC EMS, the Training Division, and the Fire Marshal’s Office. · New Ladder 2: Continued committee and dealer discussions regarding apparatus specifications and necessary design changes. · Problem Properties: Consistent attendance and monitoring of the City’s problem properties. · Public Events: Currently engaged in preparatory meetings for the July 3rd fireworks display at the waterfront. · Rescue Assets: Actively pursuing grants for technical rescue gear and training; currently awaiting a status update on the rescue boat grant application submitted to the VT HSU. FMO Division: Attended the BHS monthly safety meeting to discuss current fire safety inspections. Also discussed the importance of reporting all fire occurrences no matter how small. Offered to visit all schools to conduct fire safety education and train school staff in the use of fire extinguishers. Attended monthly meetings with DPW and DPI. Attended BFD live burns at the VT Fire Academy. Page 13 of 25  BURLINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT 136 S. Winooski Avenue, Burlington, VT 05401 Phone: (802) 864-4554 Fax: (802) 865-5387 EMS Division Update: LIFEPAK 35 Implementation The EMS Division continues preparations for deployment of the new LIFEPAK 35 cardiac monitors. Initial training has been completed, with scenario-based training scheduled prior to implementation. Deployment will expand advanced monitoring capabilities to reserve ambulances A5 and A6, as well as Car-5, improving fleet readiness, operational resilience, and equipment standardization across the EMS system. EMS Data & Strategic Reporting On May 28, 2026, the EMS Division presented updated EMS utilization data to the Public Safety Committee. Building on this work, the Division is developing a monthly EMS report designed to move beyond call-volume statistics and provide trend analysis, strategic insights, and operational recommendations. Future reporting will incorporate patient demographics, utilization patterns, overdose trends, and other emerging community indicators to better support operational planning and resource allocation. The first edition of this enhanced report is anticipated in August 2026. These initiatives reflect the EMS Division’s continued focus on advancing patient care, operational readiness, and data-informed decision-making. Administration Division: • Station Projects: o Station 1 – Window renovation timeline still TBD o Station 1 – Initial stages of kitchen renovation project o Station 1 – Basement garage door needs complete replacement o Station 1 – Conference room mini-split to be repaired o Station 1 – Working with Capt. Burns and Kim Bleakley to repair front ramp. o Station 2 – Apparatus floor project is complete, other than plans to stripe apparatus o Station 2 – Basement garage door complete replacement needed o Station 2 – RTU motor recently replaced. o Station 3 – Ongoing planning phase for dorm-room remodel o Station 3 – Basement heater requires replacement. o Station 3 – Recent completion of significant repairs/replacements to Sprinkler system. o Station 4 & Station 5 – Plan to push for parking lot and front ramp repairs. o All stations – HVAC PM Service was recently completed. • Personnel Projects: o Collaboration with HR and BC Savoy to roll-out use of UKG for Annual Employee Appraisal Process. Training on process and new UKG appraisal tool will be in early June. o Collaboration with HR and BC Savoy related to employee onboarding process. o Collaboration with HR and BFFA relative to job descriptions. o Finalizing preparations for new hires • Policy Projects: o Working with city attorney’s office to finalize changes to Ride-Along Policy and the implementation of a cost recovery fee when completing background checks for observers. o Exploring the potential for CAD shared services in collaboration with City IT. Page 14 of 25  Burlington Police - Public Safety Committee Report June 2026 Incidents The Burlington Police Department currently has a total of 96 employees: 58 sworn officers and 37 professional staff. Of the 58 sworn personnel, 43 are officers and 15 are supervisors, resulting in an effective number of 49. Out of the 43 non-supervisory, 8 are Detectives within the Detective Service Bureau (DSB) and Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations (CUSI), 6 at the airport, 1 Recruitment Officer, 1 on military leave, 1 in field training (FTO), 2 injured, and 2 on administrative leave. With the assignments taken into account, the Department has 22 active patrol officers in the Uniformed Service Bureau (USB) that spread across six different shifts, typically resulting in 4 or 5 officers covering the city at a time. Additionally, the BPD currently has 7 active patrol supervisors consisting of 2 lieutenants and 5 sergeants. We have had one recent retirement - Kris Young, who completed his 20 years as an officer with the BPD. He celebrated his retirement with a hall walk on Thursday, June 18th at the Department to close out his service. The BPD has one Probationary Police Officer beginning her 14-week, field training on July 3rd. After successfully passing Field Training, she will officially begin work as an independent BPD officer. Beach and Parks Patrol has just begun their summer work after completing training, with 5 employees actively working between the Church Street Marketplace and the City of Burlington’s network of parks and paths. Page 15 of 25 Patrols The department tracks foot and vehicle based (directed) patrols as separate incident types. Foot patrols are typically longer in duration and are focused on City Hall Park and the Church Street Marketplace. Directed patrols are conducted across the city and are generally shorter duration focused on “hot spots”. Hot spots are identified through call data or other complaints from the public. The following three tables illustrate how the department utilizes its personnel across employee groups. Community Service Officers (CSOs) and Community Support Liaisons (CSLs) serve as primary responders for specific incident types, based on their expertise and the level of risk associated with the call. Sworn officers remain the primary responders for the majority of incidents for which BPD is responsible. One of the department’s most successful strategies has been the continued use of the co- responder model. This approach enhances staff safety while ensuring that the most appropriate resource is deployed to address the underlying cause of an incident efficiently and effectively. The department will continue to monitor this data and evaluate the effectiveness of its primary responder designations to ensure resources are deployed in the most effective manner possible. Page 16 of 25 Community Service Officer Incidents Community Support Liaison Incidents Page 17 of 25 Sworn Officer Incidents Page 18 of 25 Violent Incidents Stacked / Cancelled Incidents Page 19 of 25 City Hall Park Page 20 of 25 Arrests Drug Arrests Page 21 of 25 Tickets / Warnings Top Ticket Types Page 22 of 25 Distribution of Incidents In 2025 the department was tracking the Top 20 people associated with police incidents. Modeled in part on the Impact Cohort reporting BFD does, Analyst Jeff Nicholson has identified the Top 2% of people who account for 18% of BPD’s total incidents. Page 23 of 25 Housing Status of Top 2% Top 2% Incidents Page 24 of 25 In closing, the data presented in this report, along with the positive changes seen throughout the community, are a testament to the dedicated people of the Burlington Police Department. I am continually impressed by the commitment, professionalism, and service they bring to our community every day. While significant work remains, the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of public safety services in Burlington have improved dramatically over the past year. Respectfully submitted, Shawn P. Burke – Interim Chief of Police June 23, 2026 Page 25 of 25