By Michael Donoghue, Vermont News First
What appears to be the first press release rolled out by the Burlington Police after the Gag Order was issued this week by Progressive Party Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak is lacking basic facts.
It is unclear why the press release is missing the standard information for a somewhat routine case. Is it due to poor drafting by BPD’s Public Information Officer? Or was the news release slashed by the red editing pen wielded by the Mayor?
After Mulvaney-Stanak issued the controversial Gag Order, Vermont News First had put the Mayor’s Office on notice that all future press releases destined for VNF also needed to include the original draft sent over to her office by police for review. It was the best way to see if the Mayor was impacting transparency.
The VNF request was made under the Vermont Public Records Law, but it looks like the Mayor is ignoring the records request and /or the Vermont law. No copy of the draft was shared by the Mayor.
The new press release notes Anna Siegel, 23, of Winooski is facing a charge of driving while under the influence after crashing her “vehicle” into a Burlington Police cruiser about 7:10 p.m. Jan. 8.
Siegel failed to stop for a Burlington Police officer near Colchester Avenue and East Avenue and ran a red light according to PIO Sarah Hernandez Timm. Siegel then crashed into the police cruiser, Hernandez Timm wrote.
Other responding officers helped determine Siegel was under the influence, Hernandez Timm wrote.
The press release fails to indicate if the impairment was due to drugs or alcohol. It also never says whether Siegel took a breath test, or refused, which is her right.
The release also fails to say when Siegel is due in Superior Court to face the charge — if State’s Attorney Sarah George decides to honor the citation issued by police.
The Hernandez Timm/Mulvaney-Stanak news release is missing other routine information for a crash, including:
— Fails to mention the full name of the Burlington Police officer involved in a public accident, the age and hometown (all public record);
— Fails to say if the officer was injured in the line of duty, including whether he or she was taken to the hospital to be checked for on-duty injuries; whether he/she will be out of work for the short-staffed department.
— Fails to say how much damage to the taxpayer-owned cruiser and the year, make and model of the police vehicle;
— Fails to say kind of “vehicle” Siegel was driving, including year, make, model and amount of damage;
— Fails to mention in the news release if there were any passengers in either vehicle or not; Were any injured?
Also baffling is the statement in the news release that Siegel was “transported to the South Burlington Police Department for processing.”
Why did that happen? What’s wrong with going to the Burlington Police Station?
Why SBPD? The Burlington Police probably drove right past UVM Police Station and certainly the Winooski Police Station also is closer (just down the hill).
Burlington Police also has a substation at the airport. The Chittenden County Sheriff’s Department in South Burlington also is probably closer. SBPD is located close to the Williston town line.
Chief Jon Murad remains muzzled.
Murad has told some media outlets this week that he believes he can’t speak to reporters due to spirit of the Gag Order issued by Mulvaney-Stanak. He is listed on the written release as approving the draft by Hernandez Timm.
Hernandez Timm can’t be found after hours. The city limits her contact with the media. She may be the only Public Information Officer in Vermont that does not have a cellphone so she can be reached after hours — which is when most PIO’s are needed the most.
And Mulvaney-Stanak has said she doesn’t want media calls on her cellphone.
So it looks like the news will only be news on weekdays 8 to 4:30 p.m. when the Mayor’s Office is open for editing and comment.