Police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in Vermont
| Police hiring, training, and discipline |
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| • Police collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) • Ballotpedia CBA dashboard •Reform proposals •CBA areas of inquiry and disagreement •Arguments about police collective bargaining • Index of articles about criminal justice policy |
| Click here for more analysis of police hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements by state and city on Ballotpedia |
This page provides an overview of policies related to the hiring, training, and discipline of police officers in Vermont. It is part of an analysis of police union collective bargaining agreements and related arrangements with police unions concerning hiring, training, and disciplinary requirements in the 50 states and top 100 cities by population.
Background
Ballotpedia in 2023 examined the collective bargaining agreements, statutes, and regulatory codes governing the 50 states and the top 100 US cities by population through the lens of a series of research questions related to police hiring, training, and discipline.
Some of the hiring, training, and discipline standards for police officers not established by statutes or regulations arise from negotiations with police unions. Those negotiations are often codified in collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). Those agreements are the contracts that states and cities sign following negotiations with police unions. Some states and cities restrict collective bargaining, but may still negotiate with police unions using other methods. After negotiating with the unions, those jurisdictions sometimes establish police standards through documents including memoranda of understanding or meet and confer agreements.
Results
The table below links to each question Ballotpedia used to analyze the states and cities and indicates how Vermont handles police hiring, training, and discipline. To see the provisions Ballotpedia used to support these results, click here.
CBA basics
| CBA basics | Results |
|---|---|
| Is there a CBA with the police union? | YES |
| Is the current CBA publicly available online? | YES |
Discipline and accountability
| Discipline and accountability | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA forbid the transfer or reassignment of an officer as a form of discipline? | NO |
| Do officers have a right to request third-party arbitration for grievances, including over disciplinary actions? | NO |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to discipline for misconduct? | YES |
Primary discipline authority: Commissioner of Human Resources; Types: Written reprimand, transfer, reassignment, suspension without pay, forfeiture of pay/rights, demotion, dismissal, oral notice of performance deficiency, written performance evaluation, warning period placement; Restricted aspects: N/A; Challenge/appeal process: Union grievance procedureDefines "disciplinary action" as "any action taken by the Commissioner as a result of an employee's violation of the Code of Conduct" which includes written reprimand, transfer, reassignment, suspension without pay, forfeiture of pay and/or other rights, demotion, dismissal, or a combination thereof. Defines "corrective action" as "any action taken by the Commissioner or designee as a result of an employee's substandard job performance" which includes oral notice of performance deficiency, written performance evaluation, placement in a warning period, transfer, reassignment, demotion, dismissal, or a combination thereof. Establishes a 30-day timeframe for investigations, followed by a 30-day timeframe for notice of disposition. Puts forth the following progressive schedule of corrective action: oral notice of deficient performance; written performance evaluation; warning period; transfer/reassignment/demotion/dismissal or a combination thereof. States that officers may request union representation when giving oral/written statements or participating in meetings that could result in disciplinary action. | |
| Does the CBA explicitly allow for a state ombudsman outside particular police departments to hold law enforcement officers accountable for misconduct? | NO |
Legal limitations or provisions
Training and counseling
Community relations and oversight
| Community relations and oversight | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA reference citizen review boards? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions related to community policing? | NO |
Investigations
| Investigations | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to misconduct investigations? | YES |
Procedures for both disciplinary and corrective action | |
| Does the CBA require notice to officers of investigations? | NO |
| Does the CBA determine a timeline for investigations? | YES |
Timeline to launch: N/A; Timeline to conclude: 30 days for non-criminal internal investigations | |
| Does the CBA contain provisions related to compensation during misconduct investigations? | NO |
Evidence and records
| Evidence and records | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA have provisions related to the use of body-worn cameras or body-worn camera video evidence? | NO |
| Does the CBA regulate processes for retaining officer disciplinary records? | YES |
Record storage: State-run database; Storage authority: Department of Human Resources; Types of records: Letters of reprimand or warning, supervisors' notes, or written records of relief from duty (including investigation notes); Timeline: All shall be removed after 2 years, if no other discipline; Access and use: An employee shall be able to access; Use in decisions: N/A | |
Qualifications and evaluation
| Qualifications and evaluation | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA require performance evaluations? | YES |
Annual performance evaluations required Annual evaluations should take place within 45 days of the officer's original probation date; annual station evaluations take place in a different area each month | |
| Does the CBA restrict licensing procedures for law enforcement officers or departments? | YES |
The state is responsible for reimbursing employees for licenses or certifications required to complete job duties. | |
| Evaluations | Results |
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Union authority
| Union authority | Results |
|---|---|
| Does the CBA limit union authority to pay and benefits issues? | NO |
| Does the CBA give the union the power to approve or disapprove new training programs for law enforcement officers? | NO |
| Does the CBA have provisions involving the union in the process for promotions, unit assignments, and transfers? | NO |
HR should provide union with a list of transfers, reassignments, promotions, etc. when available | |
See also
Footnotes
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