Public learns little about her nominee

What was billed as a press conference to introduce the new Burlington Police Chief nominee Anthony W. Geraci on Monday morning turned into more of a news conference for Progressive Party Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak.

While Geraci’s possible appointment does not go before the Burlington City Council until later Monday night, Mulvaney-Stanak had 10 speakers – mostly politicians, union leaders, and city supporters — lined up for the news conference to sing the praises of the potential new chief and to welcome him and his family to Burlington.

Geraci was one of the 10 speakers, but he was limited to just a three-minute opening statement covering general comments and giving thanks to the Mayor for her appointment.

Geraci spent about 24 years in police work in New York State, including almost four years combined as chief in both Watervliet (10 months) and Newburgh, N.Y. (almost 3 years)  He broke in with New York City Police for four years and moved to Albany, N.Y. Police for 16 years.

Vermont News First initially reported Geraci was the remaining  choice of the Mayor for chief on Oct. 25.  An unhappy Mayor later confirmed Geraci was her pick.

When the introductory news conference was finally opened by Mulvaney-Stanak for questions by the media, the Mayor stayed at the podium and answered each of the six media questions directed at Geraci before turning the microphone over to him for his limited answer.

Mulvaney-Stanak did not allow follow-up questions from the six media members or a second round of questions before cutting off the news conference.  She did say 1-on-1 follow-ups interviews with all the speakers would be allowed, but Geraci was the main interest.

However all questions directed at Geraci during the 1-on-1 media sessions were closely monitored by Jen Monroe Zakaras, the deputy chief of staff and director of communications for the mayor.

It was unclear why the Mayor did not want the full audience to be able to hear Geraci’s answers to media members.  About a hundred people, including city police employees, attended the news conference in the Chief Kevin P. Scully Community Room at police headquarters.

Geraci told Vermont News First on Monday that the Mayor offered the job at about $185,000 a year.  The job was advertised with a salary of up to $177,255 a year plus benefits. 

The Mayor had failed to include the expected chief’s salary in her various recent public announcements that Geraci was her pick.  Mulvaney-Stanak and her office also failed to respond last week to media inquiries when asked about the Geraci’s expected salary.

Geraci declined to say what current or former Vermont Police officials he conferred with before going forward in the application process.   

Geraci, if approved by the council, would have his appointment last until June 30 when the annual top city posts expire, the Mayor’s office said.

Mulvaney-Stanak is in her first 3-year term as mayor and has not said if she plans to run again.  Friends tell Vermont News First she is leaning toward seeking a second term.

If she runs, Mulvaney-Stanak will face competition from at least City Council President Ben Traverse, a Ward 5-Democrat.  Traverse, an attorney, announced on Friday that he will be running for Mayor in March.

Geraci, 49, of Averill Park, N.Y. said at the news conference that he has taken up residence in downtown Burlington.  He did not say if he plans to sell his New York home.

He was one of 15 applicants in the nationwide search and one of three out-of-state finalists. 

Vermont News First was told that Geraci was the Mayor’s second choice behind a high-ranking veteran policewoman from North Central, Fla.  The other finalist was a police chief from a Philadelphia suburb.

The process was filled with confidentiality. Even the names of the three finalists were never disclosed to the public.  There was no chance for a “meet-and-greet” for the public like most searches for top municipal jobs.

Geraci said police recruitment for the short-handed department will be a prime focus.  He said he would be seeking people with good character.  Geraci noted his father had advised him to pick character over competence because people can be trained.

The chief-designee was joined at the news conference by his wife, Jackie, and his father, Michael Geraci, a former police chief of Schenectady, N.Y. and the former executive director of the New York State Association of Police Chiefs.  Anthony Geraci said he expected his children to join him tonight for the City Council meeting.

Geraci’s appointment appears almost certain after it was disclosed at the news conference that at least 6 of the 12 council members plans to vote for him.  Among those speaking were City Councilor Gene Bergman, Progressive-Ward 2, who said the five Progressive councilors were in unanimous support. 

City Councilor Mark Barlow, Democrat-North, also spoke and said he favored the appointment. 

During questioning, the Mayor did report that she had called Geraci back to Burlington for a second interview after learning about news reports that three women at the Newburgh, N.Y. Police Department had accused him of several workplace issues, including gender discrimination, retaliation and creating a hostile work environment.

Mulvaney-Stanak said she was comfortable with the answers provided by Geraci and that he was cleared by investigations.  

She did not say why the issue was not addressed in her first interview with him or if she interviewed the three women to hear their side of the story.

The New York media at the time said Geraci maintained the leak about the claims in June 2024 — after he left the department — were “retaliatory” in an effort to “tarnish” his character.  The full 31-page investigative report became public when a public records request was filed. 

It was shortly after arriving in Newburgh that the City Manager imposed a gag order on Geraci and others in an effort to avoid reporting crime news.  

Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak had imposed a similar sweeping gag order on Police Chief Murad in January 2025 for about six months, but eventually lifted the muzzle as she and police continued to come under fire for either not releasing the news or providing it late to the media.

It was unknown if she plans to keep Geraci on a short leash, if approved by the council.

Geraci lasted about 10 months as police chief in Watervliet, N.Y., a suburb of when the City Manager furloughed him in May 2020 for up to 90 days due to a COVID-19 related projected budget deficit of $1.2 million, according to news accounts.

He was never brought back.

He later became chief in Newburgh, N.Y. a city 90 miles south of Albany, N.Y.

Geraci holds a Bachelor of Science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City and a Master of Public Administration from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.

He has served as an adjunct professor at the State University of New York at Albany and Columbia-Greene Community College in Hudson, N.Y.. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police.

His tour of duty for New York City Police included assignment with the 113th Precinct, Transit District 1, Midtown North Precinct, the Anti-Crime Unit and the Police Academy, news accounts note.