Even if I did run a light (which I didn't) $220. + 2 pts for a first time moving violation in over 15 years?

Your tax dollars at work.

I wonder why South Burlington Police Chief Trevor Whipple NEVER allows citizens who are clearly being harassed to have access to the dash camera video of the traffic stop? It's a public record and it's me supposedly "breaking the law." So let's see it!

Remember, there are two ways to enforce the law when it comes to local law enforcement:

You can enforce the law by earning the public's respect, such as giving them a warning if they have a clean DMV history and no priors, or you may enforce the law by busting as many people as you can, earning the public's disrespect, justifiable fear and loathing.

The choice is yours, just as much as it is theirs, but the "Justice Vacuum" exists in both Burlington and South Burlington, Vermont and the following document is an example of that sad fact.

Its not WHAT laws you enforce but HOW you enforce them and the state of Vermont has this well hidden history of police misconduct which for some reason has been obscured from the public's eye.

I mean lets face it, if you're not the one being harassed why bother? "Let them do their job" right?



This is the "old breezer" or to suggest that wasting hundreds of thousands of dollars of your and my tax money by selectively harassing peaceful tax payers just because you disagree with them, share a different opinion or need someone to target is an example of Pure Vermont Bigotry through and through and this is what you're looking at right here.

I've never "run a red light" in my entire life

On 9/11 of this year, yes "9/11" I was stopped while working by South Burlington Police Officer Dennis Ward who claims I "ran a red light" and gave me a $220. ticket with 2 points off my pristine Vermont Driver's License.

Knowing fully well I didn't "run a red light," nor have I ever, I contested the ticket and also requested the video dash cam footage of me "running this red light" which exists on all police vehicles.

Since my request was processed, the Chief of the South Burlington Police, Trevor Whipple told me that this video doesn't exist because the "system was down" that day "non-operational."

This is not the first nor second time, I've been harassed by our local police where their chief Trevor Whipple, has denied public access to dash cam video footage for the purposes of confirming the harassing officer's claims.

The public should always be mindful that the video dashboard cameras fitted to most all police cruisers are for the public to make sure the police aren't abusing their power just as much as they are for the police to prove your guilt.

I've requested the written, logged or recorded evidence of the video camera's being "non-operational" for that day. IF what the chief says was true, then there should be evidence and proof of that.

We will see...



TRUTH BE TOLD

The South Burlington Police have been increasingly more and more oppressive and highly selective in who they ticket. Their "enforcement" of our laws is by no means "equal" by a large margin.

This particular officer has been seen numerous times over zealously "enforcing the law" in South Burlington and it is little surprise to me that he engage in this retaliatory type of harassment.

The South Burlington and Burlington Police have been harassing me at my employment, me at my home, my mother at her house and on the phone at both places now for the past seven or eight years.

I don't think I'm worthy in any sense of any expenditure of your tax dollars under the pretext of an "Investigation." And as long as these people are harassing me and my mother with your tax dollars as retaliation for me doing the Right Thing peacefully without breaking the law, then I'll not only write about it, I'll publish and promote it til my dying breath.

I mean who wouldn't?

V.S.A. 316 (a), (b), (c) and (d)

I just finished my first complete reading of the 14 allowed police reports FINALLY provided (after a year's struggle to get them) to me by the Burlington Police Department in Burlington, Vermont. Without boring anyone I'll surmise the following analysis:

First I can see why the local police department tried so desperately to keep me from viewing these reports.

There is a big difference between a difference of opinion, and a basic concrete fact, such as where a particular traffic stop took place, or an address where an incident took place compared to someone's opinion on the description of someone.

The one police report which had nothing to do with Champlain College or my employment as a correctional officer involved a traffic stop at 861 Williston Road which is Staples Plaza, yet the Burlington Police Report of this very incident says it took place over three miles away at 1233 Shelburne Road.

I'd like to say that I remember this traffic stop vividly because it involved a defective rear break light on a previous SUV I owned. I remember this stop as I used it as an example in my mind because the responding officer was nice enough to give me a warning and let me go without citing me. I clearly remember thinking that the only reason he gave me a warning and didn't cite me was because he was distracted by his radio which appeared to have him in a much bigger hurry once the dispatcher called over the radio.

He quickly checked my inspection sticker and asked me if I was going to have it fixed and as I thanked him and said yes, he was already back in his cruiser peeling off with his siren and blue flashing lights.

The remaining 13 reports are glittered with entirely gross and defamatory remarks of my character. It was as if the responding officers were mad that I was documenting our repeated vandalism for public record. It was as if these police were trying to cover up the crimes being reported, rather than document them for future reference. This was a repeat pattern and only with the Burlington Police.

My professional assessment is this:

The Burlington Police are in a relationship of SELF ENRICHMENT in a multitude of public misconduct incidents, including but not limited to: access to public records requests (APRA) with a flagrant disregard for V.S.A. 316 (a),(b),(c) and (d).

A full year later I tried to get a copy of a one or two page police report notably #27132 which took place on Monday October 7th at City Hall and was submitted by Burlington Police Officer Kahlig. This report had a supporting witness which was documented into the report. On Tuesday October 8th 2013, When I asked officer Kahlig how much a copy was he said $25/ per copy of the report. That's practically $12. per page.

This proves the pattern of "Repeat Behavior" and unfortunately is:

1) a primary reason for me not being involved or utilizing my academic background in criminal justice for a career in local law enforcement

AND

2) Demonstrates a serious need for our city to have an independent oversight mechanism to safe check the unscrupulous misuse of government power by the local police.

A full year after generating and posting the preceding APRA documents showing the pattern of corrupt behavior by the Burlington Police Department, Burlington Police Chief Michael Schirling still steadfastly disrespecting the very legislation in which we tax payers, pay him to enforce.

Year's past (yes prior to 9/11) we had true Peace Officers. Personally I feel Kevin Skully was the last of those in Burlington and those days are now gone. Not because of 9/11, but because of our government's efforts to capitalize on 9/11 which involves scaring and misinforming the public as much as they possibly can.

From Paul Lawrence to Michael Schirling, The Burlington Police Department continues to disgrace its community by misinformation and enforcing the law with a political agenda in mind. Effective police must be "A Political" when enforcing the law.

My negative documentation and experiences with the Burlington Police Department are growing faster than I can keep track of.

In closing this entry, remember this, the police (particularly local police) are ALLOWED to lie with practical total impunity. We need oversight in Vermont and my experiences documented here are a case and point example of this need.

Burlington Free Press "Poll?" Hummm.... Does this prove the Freep's readership? Or is it a real indicator?

Though I have little faith in this Burlington Free Press "Poll," Please go their site's front page and vote NO to F-35's at the Burlington airport. Thank you. http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/

PLEASE SHOW YOUR SUPPORTTHIS THURSDAY MAY 30th

ALLONS CITOYENS ! !

Burlington Police Chief Michael Schirling tries to violate V.S.A. 316 and 318 and fails

According to my Public Records Requests with the Burlington Police Department, there are "19" reports with my name in them. After being allowed to view only fifteen of them Deputy Chief of Police Andi Higbee confirmed what Greta Dumas had previously informed me of in way of a $20.00 per report copy fee. Since most of the fifteen reports were just one or two pages, this would have been more than the "actual cost" of copying them. It also represented a violation of Vermont's Access to Public Records Legislation and notably: V.S.A. 316 (c)(d) and (e). So not believing our Chief of Police, and in view of the numerous and gratuitous errors in many of the reports I examined I decided to take a closer look.
After not hearing back I sent a reminder :


NOT at all satisfied, I requested Discovery and Detail on the Chief's allegations of a legitimate $20.00 fees for copies of "reports." This is was my response :

I finally got a letter from the City's Custodian of Public Records :

Then, finally, just as I suspected and yes, sweet victory !

So with this I reiterated my request to the Burlington Police Chief and this was his response :

I have yet to re examine these "reports" of me but from what I remember of them at my first examination; I'm not super anxious to find errors in basic facts such as where specific traffic stops actually took place. I'll take a look and post the reports in which "facts" I found amusing or entirely false at a later date.