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Throwing in the towel at Burlington Police
By Mike Donoghue, Vermont News First
Burlington’s controversial police chief is throwing in the towel.
Police Chief Jon Murad has submitted his letter of resignation to Progressive Party Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak effective on or before April 7.
The letter, which was released by the Mayor’s office, is dated Nov. 4, but never publicly acknowledged by the city until Tuesday.
Murad wrote the mayor to say he will not seek re-appointment for a new term in 2025, but gave no reason. The resignation came as no surprise — only the timing.
Murad has had a few rocky years since he was named in 2020 as acting police chief for a defunded department. He never had enough support until June 2023 when then-Mayor Miro Weinberger tried again and the City Council voted 8-4 to give him the permanent post.
The posted date on the resignation letter is one day before Burlington residents voted to get more control over the discipline imposed in misconduct cases by city police officers.
Murad has had strained relations with the Mayor, and some members of the city council, the press, the business community and the general public.
Murad also was put on the hot seat after a trauma surgeon accused the chief of threatening to arrest him while treating a gunshot victim at the UVM Medical Center. It was another case of tactics of New York City Police, where Murad had worked, not flying well in Vermont.
He does have support from many department members, who learned of Murad’s planned departure on Tuesday.
Mulvaney-Stanak, facing about a $13 million deficit by the city when she took over April 1, 2023, eventually reappointed Murad and other city officials rather than conduct an expensive nationwide.
Mulvaney-Stanak now wants the City to engage in a national search this time for a police chief.
As recently as this month Mulvaney-Stanak shared on Sunday Nov. 10 a social media post from Outright Vermont that included a line about abolishing police. She appeared to struggle to offer an apology.
NBC-5 (WPTZ-TV) reported the Mayor offered an apology, noting she had quickly glanced at the post, but never read the text in the photo posted by the LGBTQ support group. The Mayor’s apology was on social media and not sent through the normal email distribution process to the media covering Burlington.
“I apologize for any confusion or concern that this post caused,” she wrote as part of a five-paragraph letter addressed to “Dear Neighbors” on Nov. 12. The apology was buried in the last sentence in the fourth paragraph of a letter that she started by saying she wanted to provide “clarification” about the Instagram and Facebook that she posted.
WPTZ said Mulvaney-Stanak attempted to clarify that she does not support abolishing the police and claimed she has advocated for additional funding to support rebuilding the short-staffed Burlington Police. The shrinkage in the department came after a defund the police by the City Council.
Mulvaney-Stanak said she eventually took down her post.
It was the latest in a string of quick missteps by Mulvaney-Stanak since taking over as Mayor last year. She came under heavy fire for getting free home-cooked meals from taxpayers through MealTrain.com for her, her wife, Megan Moir, the head of water resources, and their two children.
The computer link for her account on MealTrain.com, which was extended to more than 300 people, came down several hours after Vermont News First reported the request for free food.
Mulvaney-Stanak, a former state legislator, said the time and stress of the new job as the CEO of the city was too much. She and her wife are paid about $250,000 a year combined. Mulvaney-Stanak got some support from other Progressives and a few friends, but the requested meal handout did not fly well for most, especially among women as it became a national story.
Murad was a graduate of Mount Mansfield Union High School in Jericho where he was active in the drama club with acting — a talent he later used in his police job.
He eventually went to work for New York City Police for more than 10 years. He was then brought to Burlington by former Police Chief Brandon del Pozo, who had joined jumped from NYPD in 2015.
Del Pozo and another deputy chief got caught up in creating fake social media accounts that were exposed by two media outlets. The accounts were used to attack BPD critics, and it paved the way for Murad to be named acting chief in 2019.
“I am grateful for Chief Murad’s years of service to our community. First responders, especially those who are called to lead public safety departments, face increasingly difficult workloads and complex dynamics,” Mulvaney-Stanak said on Tuesday.
“I look forward to honoring the Chief and his many contributions at a community celebration this Spring.”
Murad and the community have been at odds over how to deploy the limited resources in the city. Residents seeking Burlington Police services for crimes and accidents often do not get a real police officer to respond. Instead they are told to file their concerns online or talk to a non-sworn employee.
This comes as Burlington is considered unsafe by many because of the violent and senseless shootings and the out-of-control drug addicts and aggressive panhandlers. Addicts often can be seen shooting up in front of shoppers and tourists. The front steps of a few downtown churches have become hangouts for the addicts.
The City also is trying to deal with a major homeless population that can be disruptive and for reduced year-round auto traffic access in favor of bicycles lanes.
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Categories: Burlington
Take this job and shove it, i am not working here anymore.
I’m sure he knew which way the vote was going to go and decided to get out before things got worse. The police have been under-funded and under-staffed and viewed as the “bad guy” for over two years and not allowed to do their jobs. He stayed a lot longer than I would have expected given these circumstances.
Communities that wage war on their police had better become friends with their criminals.
I would LOVE to see the BPD defunded, as long as the libtards who voted for it are locked in the city as well, so they can live with their decision. Last one left alive can come out and tell us how it went!
Not sure whom you mean by “libtards.” The people who pushed the irresponsible and reprehensible defunding motion through the city council on June 30, 2020 were councilors who identify as members of the co-called “Progressive Party,” joined by an Independent. (This is the same party that soon-to-be-former Lt. Governor Zuckerman belongs to.)
I can’t believe the Chief lasted this long with the gaggle of fools aka ” city council ” riding him and the department every chance they had……. progressive fools.
They know all about policing, just look at what they turned the city into, a cesspool of crime, drugs, and homelessness now that’s leadership, and safe for its citizens…… sure.
The Chief should leave today, and the uniform officers should also pack up and leave
and let these masterminds in the council handle what they think they know.
The reason they pushed the Chief out, is that he gaggle of fools will look for another ” DEI ” hire like the Mayor, pretty pathetic……….you vote these fools in, so this is what you get………………..Wake up people,
Good luck Chief Jon Murad, you did a great job for the citizens even though you were handcuffed by the gaggle of fools !!
I Don’t blame him city hall is a joke from the so called mayor to the city idiots who voted for IT
I wondered when he would stop taking their … direction.
This comes as no surprise to me, expect more demoralization and departures in the months ahead. Until the people of Burlington have REALLY had enough the spiral will continue. It’s time to recall the entire city council and the mayor, NOT wait for the next election…do the people have the kahunas for it???
No surprise, really. With heavy restriction on police officers, everyone taking video of everything they do and then releasing ONLY what they want the public to see, more restriction voted on by the public and a rising crime rate, no one wants to be a cop anymore let alone Chief. I’ll be curious if they find anyone to take it.
And this is what the officers have to deal with on a daily basis. They should all walk out.
https://www.reddit.com/r/PublicFreakout/comments/1gv54sq/man_arrested_after_slapping_an_officer_in_the_face/
A wise man once stated that in order for one to extricate oneself from a hole of one’s own effort, one must first stop digging. The idiots in power in Burlington have yet to acknowledge that they have dug themselves into a deep hole.
Easy fill for this job, qualifications don’t matter, appearance does. I am sure the mayor is in discussion with the Brattleboro chief already, likely months ago.
The city of Burlington will be getting exactly what they deserve for letting their city be run by COMMUNISTS.
PROGRESSIVE= COMMUNIST
The irony of the wokesters and DEI frauds creating hostile work environments along with hostile living environments. Is anyone held to account for their divisive, uncivil, disrespectful, willful intolerance, defamation, liable, sexual harrassment, gang stalking, and bullying? They get paid with taxpayer money to be coddled malcontents to promote civil unrest and spread hatred toward their fellow community members. They even created an entire State department, inserted these civil right violators into
every facet of goverment, corporations and businesses. Time to send them all packing – the gravy train is emptying out.
When I read the Public Safety press releases, I can’t help but feel for our officers who have to deal daily with the scourge plaguing our society. Particularly, having to deal with the same perps over and over due our corrupt, complicit judicial system. The day of judgement is closing in. Enough is, indeed, enough.
I’m sure that more Burlington Police will be following the Chief. I did notice
that BTV’s latest voter approved resolution Did Not include a mandatory 30 day full time ride along with a BPD cop nor the Mayor completing that; Plus attending Vermont Police Academy and Graduating, just to become eligible to be on the ballot to be elected!
The few decent, contributing members of society left in Burlington are in for a hard lesson. Chief Murad’s departure is one of the last nails in the coffin of the once-great city. The progressives are like junkies…they have to hit bottom before they realize there is a problem.
OK, Chief! I am really surprised that you lasted this long. You to be commended for the work you have done.
The is usually some codswallop one has to deal with in any job, especially in the public sector.
I am quite impressed by how long you lasted!
All the best in your next venture.
Good luck getting any Vermonters to shop in downtown burlington this Christmas Season!!
Burlington was such a cool little city when I was a kid .Lake Champlain and the waterfront as a backdrop.and The Adirondack mountains waving across the lake . Church street with its great shopping stores and eclectic eateries .Musicians and Festivities . Handmade wares sold by vendors .People smiling and enjoying the atmosphere from surrounding communities . That is unfortunately its former years .If you go now it feels unsafe .Drugs being sold on the streets and in the parking areas .Good businesses have all abandoned the seedy city . There are a few still hanging on for dear life .Homelessness fills every ally and park .There is gang activity present .Prostitution , Trafficking .
What has happened to Burlington Vermont ? Ask the people .
I can have faith again that someday in the future Burlington will rise because the people who care will make the changes and say no more .
All valid points previously made reference Chief Murad’s pending departure. It was only a matter of time before he broke and this is exactly what the Mayor and her crew wanted. Unfortunately now the citizens of Burlington will continue to bear the consequences of the Mayor’s and Progressive Party’s ill-begotten social experiment. It is bound to get worse. It is also unfortunate that surrounding municipalities will also bear the consequences of those decisions. Even if they find a competent candidate for the Chief’s position, it will take years to turn things around, that is even if he/she were to get the support of the city council. The current situation is such a tragic and needless shame, a self-imposed wound which it appears the current leadership has learned nothing from. It is an example of absolute failure of leadership on the part to f the city council. The citizens of Burlington own this too by voting the current leadership in to office.
So sad – I learned he was born in Burlington – and is leaving because of too many out-of-state leaders and too many out-of-state voters. Vermonters YOU MUST VOTE! Too many don’t.