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Letter:  re. Militarization of the Police (responses below)

 

1 September 2014

 

Dear Governor Shumlin,

 

I am a veteran of the Vietnam war and a member of Veterans for Peace.  In 1986 I was aboard a hospital ship as a member of the crew and saw at first-hand the outcomes of war.

 

I am appalled that weapons of war are now a frequent sight on our television screens.  Ferguson, Missouri has become an example of what can go wrong when these weapons are used to confront public demonstrations.

 

A recent news story from the Nation magazine is enclosed with this letter.  I encourage you to take a few moments to read it, as you will see that it makes graphically clear the potential for undesirable outcomes when weapons of war are used to control the public.

 

I will appreciate receiving answers to the following questions on each of the weapons addressed in the article:

 

  • Do Vermont city, town and state police presently have an inventory of these weapons?

  • Which weapons are presently available for their use?

  • Have written instructions been published for the use of each of the weapons?

  • What are the plans for the future to obtain a larger inventory and/or expanding the range of weapons of war in Vermont?

  • Are any weapons missing, as has been reported with regard to some in custody of police departments and which is a concern of the federal government?

 

I look forward to reading your reply to my letter, as I am certain that you are as  concerned about the safety of our citizens as I am.

 

Karl J.Novak

LCDR, SC, USN, Ret.

 

Encl:  “A Former Marine Explains All the Weapons of War Being Used by Police in Ferguson”

Response:

 

The reply below came from Captain Tim Clouatre of the Vermont State Police and not Governor Shumlin's office.
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1.  Yes there is an inventory of these weapons.
2.  Different tactics are available for our use depending on the situation.  I will not address tactics in this letter.
3.  Yes, there are instructions.
4.  There is no current plan to obtain a larger inventory.
5.  All weapons are accounted for.

The letter concluded:  "It is paramount that we continue to train and provide our members the gear and vehicles they require to effectively complete the mission and keep themselves and the public safe."

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Follow-Up Letter re. Militarization of the Police

 

October 6, 2014

 

Dear Governor Shumlin,

 

Thank you for having one of your staff respond to my recent letter to you regarding the militarization of State and Local Police.  I think it is important that you personally sign letters of this nature, as it is one way of introducing yourself to the concerns of those you serve.

 

Since my letter of September 1, 2014, The Times Argus newspaper printed a report of an armed full-fledged militarized police contingent going “to a home in Duxbury to check on the well-being of Paul Sweetser, 58, because he had reportedly made comments about killing himself.  When a trooper arrived, state police say Sweetser shot though a door. He reportedly fired more rounds a few moments later.”

 

The response brought more than 30 law enforcement vehicles to the scene, along with an additional armored vehicle.  Later that night, Sweetser died of a self-inflicted gunshot.  The State Police did not fire any weapons.

 

Dressing the State Police in full combat uniforms and carrying assault weapons disturbs me greatly.  The illusion of service to the public evaporates when this militarized contingent becomes the normal response that we citizens can expect to see in the future.  Once this military approach to control becomes the standard in our State, we have become a party to a state of oppression where it is “us against them”.  Fear becomes the ruler and irrationality invades both sides – police vs. the public.

 

I have enclosed for you a copy of the article published by The Times Argus, as additional points of view of note are documented in it and are important to your understanding the full depth of this incident.

 

I am also sending copies to my Representative and Senators, as I wish them to be informed of the degree of militarization of the Vermont State Police.

 

Please respond to my letter.  I do not want to read the thoughts of one of the persons on your staff or a State employee.  The full militarization of our State Police is a matter that should come to your full and personal attention.

 

I look forward to reading your thoughts and what action you plan to take in the future on the militarization of our State police force.

 

Sincerely,

 

Karl J. Novak

LCDR, SC, USN, Ret.

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