Police Governance 7/14/25

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Minutes Richmond and Hinesburg Police Governance Commitee Meeting Agenda July 14 2025 115 KB

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Minutes for the Meeting of the 
Richmond and Hinesburg Police Governance Committee     
July 14, 2025

Link to meeting video:
Richmond-Hinesburg Police Governance Cmte 7-14-2025

Members Present: Josh Arneson Richmond Town Manager, Matt Cohen Richmond Police Sergeant, Dennis Place Hinesburg Selectboard Member, Todd Odit Hinesburg Town Manager, Frank Bryan Interim Polie Chief Hinesburg and Richmond; 

Public Present: Patty Brushett, Michael Bisonette, Jennifer Decker, June Heston, Brad Worthen, Connie Van Eeghen

Welcome and Public Comment:

Welcome by Place.

Brushett: I sent a few documents out to the Committee. The documents were the result of a survey of the community asking what they want in a police chief. 

Additions or Deletions to Agenda:

None

Consideration of approval of minutes from 6/23/25

Odit moved to approve the minutes from 6/23/25. Cohen seconded. All were in favor. Motion passed.

Update on Intermunicipal Police Agreement for reciprocal general police services and patrol services

Arneson: Both Selectboards have signed it, and it is in effect.

Odit: We should revisit rates for officers while the agreement is in place

Update on communication with State Police regarding scheduling

Odit: I have been in touch with them regarding the departments’ scheduling. Lines of communication are open and they are working with us

Place: How does dispatch work?

Odit: State Police dispatch for Richmond. Shelburne dispatches for Hinesburg. State Police does this at no charge for Richmond and likely will not take on Hinesburg.

Place: We will have to address this in the future.

Cohen: We will also have to address radio service coverage in Richmond. State Police is one of the only dispatches that can cover all of Richmond. Others are challenged due to the mountainous terrain. 

Odit: Shelburne has put Hinesburg on notice for the Fire Department side that they are looking to increase rates.

Arneson: State police tried to charge for dispatch a few years ago and likely will again in the future.

Update on status of search for Interim Police Chief

Odit: Jim reached out to several people. Had two interested candidates. One they feel is a great fit. Working on scheduling an interview with Josh and me. We will need to figure out how their retirement works if they are looking to work for us after retirement.

Arneson: I think they said the person would work for us for a couple of years and then retire later.

Brushett: I am still not sure what we are looking for.

Place: It would be an interim chief.

Brushett: Would the community be involved in the selection process?

Odit: Likely not for an interim. 

Arneson: This person would run the department in the short term and assist with the long term planning

Brushett: That is an important job. This Committee will continue on and work with him. 

Arneson: I envision this committee continuing to be part of the process

Discussion of traits we are looking for in a Police Chief

Place: I think we are all on the same page. 

Arneson: We need to hire people who are community police oriented, following 21st Century Policing model, while arresting people when necessary.

Brushett: Has there been any thought as to where the person would live?

Odit: I don’t think we can be too picky with an interim. We also have to be sensitive to the cost of living

Cohen: It is also a challenge to have them move for a temporary job.

Arneson: The candidate would also be interested in working shifts. 

Van Eeghen: I head you say community policing is one of the priorities for the interim police chief to focus on. Other key areas to focus on include work with social mental health professionals, partner with community organizations, less weaponry, create community oversight, more transparency, create information and response team. This is included in a survey from 2021.

Worthen: I would question if the results from a similar survey today would be the same as in 2021. In 2021 police departments were under siege and there may be a change today.

Van Eeghen: I agree with Brad. Another survey could be conducted to ask community members what they value now. We could include both towns in that survey.

Cohen: Both departments have modeled most of the traits that were just shared. Reducing weaponry is challenging because we have to have certain weapons to be able to respond to many situations. We have been incorporating mental health centers and other community based organizations. I feel we are moving toward those goals. 

Odit: Hinesburg just completed a public safety survey a year and a half ago and we have similar themes. But we have heard concerns about crime and burglaries lately. We need more staff to address this issue. 

Brushett: We’ve had police oversight committees in the past and they have not been that helpful. Oversight really comes from the community so if there is shared data that is helpful to the community. We budgeted for 20 hours per week for an administrative assistant to help with publishing data on the website. I would hope the new person would lead with sharing this data.

Odit: A public dashboard has been recommended. It needs funding and staffing. 

Items for next agenda

Place: Do we need to meet before an interim chief is hired?

Odit: We’ll keep the date to meet on the 28th but if we don’t have an update we can cancel the meeting. 

Cohen moved to adjourn. Odit seconded. All were in favor. The meeting adjourned