Lawsuit Challenges Rights Violations by Bennington Police Officials, 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. The police dog found a scent to follow for a time Friday but it was eventually lost, police said. Police say a male suspect in the shooting is cooperating with the investigation and that there is no danger to the public. A traffic stop was conducted and the operator of the vehicle, Geoffrey Sauer was taken into custody for DUI #1, Negligent Operation, and Possession of Stolen Property. 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, 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. MONTPELIER, Vt. The ACLU filed a lawsuit yesterday on behalf of John Chinnici, who was unlawfully arrested, interrogated, and searched by Bennington police after they repeatedly pressured multiple witnesses and suspects to name Mr. Chinnici as an accomplice in a January 2016 armed robbery, despite the fact that Mr. Chinnici did not match witness descriptions and no other evidence connected him to the crime. Mr. Chinnici was seized in front of family, handcuffed, and charged with the robbery. A similar proposal was one of many police reforms opposed and defeated by law enforcement leaders last year. Multiple crews responded but did not find anything. BPD was unable to release the name until now because they hadn't been able to find family to notify. We hope that state legislators recognize that far more needs to be done to establish meaningful police oversight and accountability protections so that all community members are safe from abuses like these, and their rights are respected., An independent report by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) concluded in 2020 that BPD exhibited a , . 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. Syringe Services Program information card. 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. Press Releases Crime and Justice Shaftsbury man sues Vermont State Police for $25 million, alleging troopers assaulted him By Ethan Weinstein Jan 18 2022 Vermont State Police Trooper. These releases are not intended to document every public contact or response to a call-for-service. . 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. These releases are not intended to document every public contact or response to a call-for-service. Sgt. Chance of snow 40%. January 18, 2023. ACLU of Vermont Legal Director Lia Ernst: Mr. The story will be updated as more information is made available. BPD releases officer reports on Heck crash, aftermath. Headquarters | 45 State Drive | Waterbury, VT 05671 | 802-241-5000, RANK/TROOPER FULL NAME: Trooper C. Shepley, INCIDENT LOCATION: US Route 7 Shaftsbury/Sunderland VT, VIOLATION: DUI #1, Negligent Operation, Possession of Stolen Property. 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 have said the other shoe might have pulled off his foot in a wet area or stream in the woods. 1998 - 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. | All Rights Reserved. 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. Riendeau was transported to the Shaftsbury barracks where she was processed and issued a citation to appear in Bennington Superior Court Criminal Division to answer to the charge of DUI #2 on 3-13-23 at 0815 hours. Stay informed and read the latest news today from The Associated Press, . According to a posting by the Bennington Police Department, they responded immediately and determined the reports were false. The Advocates recognize the departments forward thinking and action to reduce their carbon footprint by purchasing hybrid vehicles and their growing e-bike program. Media Releases and News. Bennington Police Department executed their . 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. Officers reported that Hager told them Hecks vehicle then tried to pull back in front of him too soon and crashed into the front driver side fender of his truck, before the Nissan went out of control and rolled over three times. 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. Contact Tiffany Tan . The reports also note that Hecks wallet was inside the vehicle along with a .40 cal. COURT DATE/TIME: 02/27/2023 at 0815 hours. 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.. Please call the criminal court clerk to confirm arraignment time. Police were granted a search warrant and rendered the scene safe at around 5 p.m. BENNINGTON - Bennington Police Chief Paul Doucette tests his skills against the third grade class at Monument Elementary School on Friday morning during a game of "Are you smarter than a third grader?". The vehicle then struck two medium/large trees which caused significant contact damage to the front of the truck and tore the passenger side of the vehicle from the rest of the truck cab. SUMMARY OF INCIDENT: ON the above date and time, Vermont State Police were advised of a be on the lookout for a Dorr Oil truck which was being operated all over the roadway on US Route 7 in the Town of Shaftsbury. Both vehicles had been travelling east shortly after 6 p.m. from Hoosick, N.Y., into Bennington. COURT: Bennington Superior Court Criminal Division, *Please note: court date and time are subject to change at the discretion of, the court. of Ballston Spa, New York, police said in a news release. They also checked with Southwestern Vermont Medical Center but were told he had not been treated there. . Subsequently, Riendeau was taken into custody for suspicion of DUI. Headquarters | 45 State Drive | Waterbury, VT 05671 | 802-241-5000, RANK/TROOPER FULL NAME: Sergeant Seth Loomis, INCIDENT LOCATION: U.S. Route 7; MM: 15.6, Bennington, VT. On the evening of 2-22-23, Troopers from the Shaftsbury barracks came upon a vehicle that slid off of the travel portion of U.S. Route 7 near mile marker 15.6 in the town of Bennington, VT. Please call the criminal court clerk to confirm arraignment time. 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. 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. Additional factors, he said, include other drivers who witnessed what was described as a road rage incident on Route 279 on Jan. 8. Complaints against members of the Bennington Police Department must receive thorough, timely, transparent, and objective investigation to determine the validity of the complaint, root cause of failure and work towards improvement. These releases are not intended to document every public contact or response to a call-for-service. 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. The exact day or time of death was not determined, Doucette said. 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. Chance of snow 40%. Low 29F. BENNINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - A drug bust in Bennington on Monday ended with police arresting eight people, including one who jumped out a second-story window. Healing of the community means healing of all. BENNINGTON, Vt. The Bennington, Vt., Police Department said a suspected bomb or as police called it, "an energetic destructive device" was found Thursday inside a home at 351 Overlea Road. COURT: Vermont Superior Court Bennington Criminal Division, LODGED - LOCATION: Detox at Southern State Correctional, *Please note: court date and time are subject to change at the discretion of. He said he stopped after the crash and asked if Heck was OK, and Heck repeatedly said he was before running from the scene to the south of the highway near the Austin Hill Road underpass. The report was commissioned after revelations that Bennington officials, from then-Attorney General T.J. Donovans investigation into racial harassment of then-local resident and state legislator Kiah Morris, as well as multiple Vermont Supreme Court decisions concerning unlawful BPD traffic stops of Black motorists. If members of the Bennington community want changes to police department operations, the Police Chief should inform the public of potential costs and benefits of that change allowing the community to make informed and appropriate decisions. The illegally obtained evidence was then used against Mr. Chinnici at trial. All rights reserved. Afterward, back on the record, Doucette implied that Mayhew had named John Chinnici specifically, which Mayhew denied. BENNINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Two drug busts in Bennington have three residents facing a multitude of drug charges. This includes having more open conversations about coping with stress and trauma within the Bennington Police Department and informing the public, as well as elected and appointed officials, of the stress and demands on officers and staff. Contrary to social media reports, no bomb or explosive device was involved in the attack, Doucette said. Updated: Feb 16, 2023 / 10:48 PM EST BENNINGTON, Vt. ( NEWS10) The Bennington Police Department is investigating a suspicious device that was located at 351 Overlea Road at around 9:15. The Vermont Police Bomc Squad rendered the device safe and evidence was collected. The Bennington Police Department and Chief Paul Doucette have earned the 2021 Environmental Leadership award from Climate Advocates Bennington. It also has not identified the female victim. Members of the Bennington community need to be clear in their expectations for the police department. This acknowledgement promotes a greater level of understanding by all, that certain embedded feelings must not be taken lightly or dismissed and will be taken into consideration when developing and receiving recommendations for changes in Bennington Police Department policies and procedures. After. South Burlington, VT 05403 (802) 652-6300 . A similar proposal was one of many police reforms opposed and defeated by law enforcement leaders last year. Police said medical examiner and a toxicology reports later showed that Heck had no significant injuries as a result of the crash, and he had a blood-alcohol level of .151, well above the .08 legal limit, along with cocaine and marijuana in his system. Smith & Wesson handgun, and said a conceal carry gun permit from the state of Florida was inside the wallet. or the public information officer. If the Bennington County State's Attorney's Office and the Vermont Judiciary are disconnected from the Bennington Police Department, and/or the laws they are enforcing, the public loses faith in the police. 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., On the morning of January 11, 2016, two masked men robbed employees of Martins Mini Mart, the latest of a string of unsolved robberies in Bennington. BENNINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Police are investigating after a suspicious explosive device was found inside a home in Bennington on Thursday. Bombard said his friend was in a good mood and not in any arguments or confrontations while at the Man of Kent, according to the report. Feb 24. Wright could be heard on the video saying the day and time, then he is seen getting out of his white pickup truck and walking to the side door.