By Kolby R. LaMarche

A public dispute over law enforcement support in Burlington has unfolded over the past couple of weeks, triggered by a WCAX report claiming Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak rejected an offer from Governor Phil Scott for additional police resources. 

The saga began at a press conference on August 20, when Governor Scott addressed rising concerns about crime and safety in Burlington, particularly around City Hall Park. Scott said, “If the mayor and council would like to… our assistance, we’re all ears,” signaling the state’s willingness to provide support, including potential Vermont State Police (VSP) assistance. The governor’s comments came amid growing public frustration over issues like drug activity, homelessness, and safety in downtown Burlington, particularly in City Hall Park, as covered by BDN.

Some days later, a WCAX article reported that Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak had rejected the governor’s offer of additional law enforcement on August 27th, suggesting more police on the streets would be a step in the wrong direction. 

Mulvaney-Stanak doubled-down on her pushed back. On September 2, she appeared on WVMT’s The Morning Drive and denied the claim twice, stating no formal offer for supplemental law enforcement had been extended by the governor and thus she didn’t deny any offer. 

She reiterated this position in a letter, sent out via city-wide Front Porch Forum post, to Burlington residents on September 3, writing, “There has been no offer by the Governor, Commissioner of Public Safety, or the Commander of the State Police for supplemental law enforcement resources in Burlington.”

Continuing, the mayor sought to clarify the city’s stance and address what she called “misinformation” surrounding the issue. She explained that after consulting with Burlington Police Chief Shawn Burke, they agreed that contracting with the VSP or another outside agency was unnecessary at this time. 

Instead, the Mayor leaned on what the city has already implemented as its own measures to improve safety, particularly in City Hall Park, a focal point for concerns about drug activity and loitering.

Following a Democrat-lead City Council resolution on August 27, which Mulvaney-Stanak signed, Chief Burke issued a directive to adjust police deployment during the night shift. Starting August 28, Burlington Police Department (BPD) officers began conducting walkthroughs of City Hall Park to enforce its 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. closing hours. 

In her letter, the mayor called for collaboration with state leaders, urging all levels of government to avoid inflammatory rhetoric. “At times when tensions are high, it’s essential that we hold ourselves accountable for the impact of our words,” she wrote. “We should avoid sharing inaccurate statements that can escalate division or reinforce a sense of conflict when in fact we are far more aligned than we are divided.”

Governor Phil Scott’s office has made no further comment; WCAX has not retracted their original August 27th article.