Police oversight measure pulled from Burlington ballot

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Burlington voters will not get the opportunity to weigh in on police oversight this Town Meeting Day. The measure was pulled from the ballot in what some Progressives are calling a deliberate attempt to kill it. But other councilors say it wasn’t ready.

Burlington’s City Council meeting on Monday was supposed to be the first public hearing for the proposed charter change that would expand the role of the police commission in officer discipline cases. But Democrats on the council decided not to put it on the ballot, arguing the police commission should have more time to review the proposal.

“There’s been a transition in the leadership of that commission. They have a number of brand new members. I think that they’ve gained a lot of experience the time since they’ve recently joined in that they’re well positioned right now as they review the proposal and get back to the council on it,” said Ben Traverse, D-Burlington City Council.

The police commission sent WCAX News a statement supporting the decision. “We believe that the City Council did the right thing by seeking a deliberate and collaborative approach with the Police Commission regarding police oversight and charter charge.”

Progressive City Councilor Gene Bergman is dismayed it will not be on the Town Meeting Day ballot.

“It’s very frustrating to hear as a reason why this is getting delayed. Justice delayed is justice denied that they, that there wasn’t enough process. I reject that. I just think that that is totally phony,” Bergman said.

The oversight measure as written would allow the police commission to review community complaints against the police department. It allows for the creation of an independent community panel made up of law enforcement and civilians to mediate disagreements in punishments. It’s seen as a compromise to the proposal for a fully independent review board that was rejected by voters last year.

Bergman sees the delay as an attempt to kill this plan, too, but Traverse and Democratic Mayoral candidate Joan Shannon say they remain committed to the proposal.

“I’m committed to ensuring that it doesn’t get killed totally. I believe that the council has made a commitment to voters that we’re going to review this and we’re going to give them an opportunity to vote on something meaningful in terms of police oversight and accountability,” Traverse said.

Democratic councilors asked the commission to send it back to the council by June with a goal of having the oversight charter change on the general election ballot in November.