But “the system worked” in arrest of state trooper, Col. Matthew Birmingham says

Col. Matthew T. Birmingham, director of the Vermont State Police, today issued the following statement regarding criminal charges being brought against a former state trooper:

The charges against former state trooper Giancarlo DiGenova as outlined in court documents represent an extraordinary betrayal of the public’s trust, his oath as a sworn police officer, and his colleagues in law enforcement who serve the state honorably every day.

I know all Vermonters are angered and disappointed. So am I. Your outrage is appropriate. But I also want you to know that the system worked as well as it can when someone is determined to commit crimes by abusing their power and trust. The former trooper’s actions were uncovered by his peers, who reported him to supervisors. We launched an intensive, lengthy and comprehensive investigation that led to the filing of serious criminal charges. And we have reviewed our policies and procedures, making changes where necessary and increasing the oversight already in place.

It is important to note that evidence in criminal cases was never compromised. The trooper’s conduct involved personal items that had been seized or surrendered.

As a result of our review of internal processes, the state police has taken the following steps:

• Reviewed all policies related to property storage and made revisions where necessary to maximize accountability and control.
• Performed a physical assessment of property storage areas at every barracks.
• Conducted a complete audit of temporary personal property storage areas and identified no concerns beyond minor administrative issues.
• Initiated a process of adding individually locked storage containers for property that will have limited access.
• Added surveillance cameras to barracks including more visibility of evidence and property storage areas.
• All property has been and will continue to be controlled by the FileOnQ evidence and property management system that relies on barcodes to track the movement of all items.

The men and women who honorably wear the Vermont State Police uniform make me proud every day. I know I speak for each of them when I say that we have absolutely no tolerance for those who tarnish our badge, whose actions discredit the work we do, who take advantage of the considerable responsibilities they have as Vermont state troopers. They will be held accountable in a court of law.