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.