He is charged with one count of attempted unlawful trespass into a building-a misdemeanor. by: Courtney Ward. The Vermont State Police disseminates news releases for significant criminal or public safety incidents and arrests. Wright also shot a video of a vehicle belonging to former Judge Justine Scanlon, the same person still working inside the building, mentioning her by name. Ultimately, the state legislature will have to decide how much longer it will tolerate these kinds of abuses before taking corrective actions to reimagine public safety and policing in Vermont.. In a follow-up report on Feb. 2, Harrington said he had talked with Bombard by phone about Hecks demeanor while at the Man of Kent Jan. 8. January 18, 2023. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please, We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by, Local man arrested for attempted break-in at courthouse, Southern Vermont Arts Center high school student art show reception postponed because of weather, Court deems River Bend Market assault suspect fit for trial, Fire destroys home on Northside Drive this morning, Support our journalism. Please call the criminal court clerk to confirm arraignment time. Vermont State Police were assisted on scene by Bennington Police, Bennington Rescue Squad, Bennington Fire Department and Walt's Towing. Acknowledge that past and present inequities in the Bennington community often shape views that drive calls for change. Chinnicis case is emblematic of well-documented problems with Benningtons police department, and it shows how much further Vermont still has to go to establish a culture of accountability in law enforcement. Mr. Chinnici now asserts that BPD officials and the Town of Bennington violated his federal and state constitutional rights. Bennington Police Department | Bennington VT - Facebook In one report, Officer Amanda Knox said she found a 4- by 4-inch piece of denim while searching the area for Heck on Sunday. Contributing factors, road rage, and DUI drugs/alcohol.. While attempting several times to acquire copies of police reports concerning the crash, family members and friends of Heck have alleged that the BPD was negligent for not trying harder to find him afterward. Subscribe today. Despite the employees contrary description, Mayhews refusal to name his accomplice, and no evidence connecting Mr. Chinnici with the robbery, Doucette arrested Mr. Chinnici without probable cause. If your child will play baseball or softball this spring, youll need to stock up on appropriate clothing and equipment. 2 Bennington residents arrested after search turns up firearms, drugs Bennington Police Department press release Jan. 11, 2021 Contact Tiffany Tan . Snow this morning will transition to snow showers this afternoon. Chance of snow 40%. COURT DATE/TIME: 02/27/2023 at 0815 hours. Mr. Bharara praised the outstanding investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the New York City Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, the Vermont State Police, and the Bennington Police Department. UPDATE: Bennington man, ACLU sue police over arrest Slashing death in broad daylight in Bennington leads to - VTDigger Recently, according to the affidavit, Wright approached an officer telling him to arrest a former judge for driving under the influence. VSP News Releases Headquarters | 45 State Drive | Waterbury, VT 05671 | 802-241-5000 The Vermont State Police disseminates news releases for significant criminal or public safety incidents and arrests. Man of Kent owner Jon Bombard told Bennington police after the crash that he was a friend of Hecks, and asked that he be reported missing. He was ordered to not have any contact or harass Scanlon, not to come within 10 feet of the courthouse or stalk Scanlon in any manner. Police say at about 9:15 a.m., people working at. BPD releases officer reports on Heck crash, aftermath | Local News Additional factors, he said, include other drivers who witnessed what was described as a road rage incident on Route 279 on Jan. 8. Media Releases and News. The incident reports by several officers released Tuesday morning describe what police found around 6:29 p.m. Jan. 8 at the crash scene and what witnesses told them about what led to the crash. Multiple crews responded but did not find anything. The Vermont State Police is a full-service law enforcement agency that provides primary law enforcement services to approximately 200 towns, 90 percent of the land mass, and 50 percent of the population in Vermont. Members of the Bennington Police Department and elected and appointed officials must jointly shoulder the responsibility to share expectations and offer solutions. Mr. Chinnicis experience is a product of a notoriously toxic law enforcement culture in Bennington, and another shocking example of what happens when we leave it to the police to police themselves. BENNINGTON Police said a male suspect has been arrested in a killing in downtown Bennington on Monday. The Bennington Police Department was the first chartered municipal police department in the. VSP News Releases: Shaftsbury Barracks/ DUI #1, Negligent Operation Doucette then returned to pressuring Mayhew, telling him [Y]ou gotta be the one to officially say it. Vermont State Police and the Bennington County Sheriffs Department also responded to the incident. Many police agencies throughout the United States have implemented community-focused police approaches and have policies, procedures and practices in place that emphasize the duty of care as well as strict policies and procedures around police tactics to ensure the well-being and safety of the community and officers. In a follow-up interview on Feb. 1, Hager told police he was going from Hoosick Falls, N.Y., to Home Depot in Bennington prior to the crash. in police interrogations. Pictured are scenes from a multi-vehicle crash & slide-offs this morning on I-89 in Georgia VT. ALT. The reports also note that Hecks wallet was inside the vehicle along with a .40 cal. BPD continued pushing Mayhew to incriminate Mr. Chinnici, ignoring Mayhews invocation of Miranda rights and promising him leniency. On the above date and time, the Vermont State Police-Shaftsbury Barracks was made aware of a possible assault that occurred in the Town of Arlington, VT. Further investigation revealed that Williams had assaulted West causing an injury to his face. They said they attempted to call a possible contact for Heck but did not receive an immediate call back. An independent report by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) concluded in 2020 that BPD exhibited a warrior mentality and hadlost the trust of many residents. Ralph Wright Jr., 64, was arraigned at the same courthouse he attempted to break into. The body has since been transported to Vermonts Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for an autopsy. . Develop an objective and clearly established evaluation process for the Bennington Police Department based on shared, understood expectations. Occasional snow showers. The driver then fled the scene on foot running south into the wooded area, police said they were told, and that the driver appeared to be intoxicated. BENNINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Police are investigating after a suspicious explosive device was found inside a home in Bennington on Thursday. A New York State Police Aviation Unit helicopter located an area of interest off Route 279 that led to discovery of the body that morning. Bennington, Vt., Police identify the deceased in Route 279 overpass Officers responded to 308 Pleasant Street for a report of a fight involving a knife. Snow showers. News releases include information about arrests and citations, reports about homicides and other major criminal investigations, traffic incidents such as crashes and enforcement, and any incident that could have public impact or be of public interest. The Nissan then rolled over and came to rest about 25 feet off the north side of the highway. While speaking with Riendeau indicators of impairment were observed. Officers searching the night of the crash with a K-9 unit reported hearing branches breaking in the woods near a 10-foot wildlife fence and called out, saying, Bennington Police K-9 unit. Police say there is no danger to the public, and no one has been reported injured. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 01:19 PM EST. Doucette said he wanted to point out a misconception repeated on social media that the body was 200 yards from the scene of the crash, when Heck actually was found approximately that distance from Route 279 but much farther toward the New York line from the actual crash site near the Austin Hill Road underpass. BENNINGTON Police Chief Paul Doucette said Wednesday that he will "stand by the actions" of his officers following the Jan. 8 rollover crash of a pickup being driven by Hans Heck, who left the scene and was found three days later in a wooded area, having died of hypothermia. The search had been suspended on Friday night, according to the reports, because of darkness, the cold, the loss of the scent track, and not knowing if the male had a weapon.. Members of the Bennington community need to be clear in their expectations for the police department. Police have said the other shoe might have pulled off his foot in a wet area or stream in the woods. BENNINGTON, Vt. . After getting a description of the suspect, a BPD officer reportedly found him on School Street. Officers said they then began patrolling overnight on roads around the area trying to locate the driver. of Ballston Spa, New York, police said in a news release. Mr. Chinnici was prosecuted based on evidence arising from these unlawful actions, though his resulting conviction was eventually thrown out. VSP News Releases Headquarters | 45 State Drive | Waterbury, VT 05671 | 802-241-5000 The Vermont State Police disseminates news releases for significant criminal or public safety incidents and arrests. State and local police, along with members of the Bureau of . VSP News Releases: Shaftsbury Barracks/ Serious Injury Crash The vehicle ultimately came to rest in the center of Burgess Road. Police say a male suspect in the shooting is cooperating with the investigation and that there is no danger to the public. Police: Arrest made in Bennington killing. Home Page | Vermont State Police Police said the material later was matched to a tear in the leg of Hecks jeans when he was found and he had been bleeding. Like us on Facebook. You have permission to edit this article. The same year the IACP issued its findings and reform recommendations, the ACLU, against BPD, while another caseinvolving, city officials retaliation against an interracial family. Don't miss the big stories. BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) A Bennington man is suing the town, its police chief and two officers, accusing them of violating his constitutional rights by arresting him in the 2016 armed robbery. An employee at the building alerted police out of concern for a judge who was working in the building at the time. He then begins kicking the door and, getting no response, begins punching in numbers in an attempt to gain entry. BENNINGTON A well-known local Bennington man was arrested late Thursday evening after he allegedly attempted to break into the Bennington Courthouse by punching in different codes in the keypad security system. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Please note news releases are available on this blog for 30 days following their public release. BENNINGTON, Vt. ( NEWS10) Vermont State Police were dispatched to a one-car crash with ejection on Burgess Road in Woodford. COURT: Bennington Superior Court Criminal Division, *Please note: court date and time are subject to change at the discretion of, the court. Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Vermont State Police have arrested two people in connection with stolen firearms from a Waterbury gun shop. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. ACLU of Vermont Staff Attorney Hillary Rich: No one should be subjected to the dishonest and coercive tactics that John Chinnici experienced at the hands of Bennington police. He was taken into custody soon after. According to a news release from BPD Chief Paul Doucette, around 11:15 a.m. Monday, town police received a call about a male attacking a female along the Walloomsac River walkway between North and School streets. When addressing problematic behavior by Bennington Police Officers, the Police Chief and Town Manager should have broad discretion in determining consequences and be able to act swiftly. BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) A Bennington man is suing the town, its police chief and two officers, accusing them of violating his constitutional rights by arresting him in the 2016 armed robbery. As of Monday evening, it was unclear whether the suspect has already been charged or when he might appear in court. The victim was taken to Southwestern Vermont Medical Center, where she died of her injuries later Monday, police said. The deceased is Elton Dowd, 19, of Fitchburg, Mass. However, as communities, elected officials, appointed officials and the Bennington Police Department are developing new and innovative approaches to public safety, the focus should expand beyond just policies and procedures to include both the broader criminal justice and public health ecosystems: Maximize available, thoughtful resources, similar to the process for recommendations from the Commission of Law Enforcement and the Administration of Justice. Adoption of these approaches must become wide-spread and serve as principles for the Bennington Police Department. Ensure that all voices are welcomed and heard. 'Energetic destructive device' found at house in Bennington, Vt Sauer was later processed at the Shaftsbury State Police Barracks and released with a citation to appear in Vermont Superior Court Bennington Criminal Division on 02/27/2023 at 0815 hours.