{"id":2359830,"date":"2024-10-25T20:43:02","date_gmt":"2024-10-26T00:43:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/leftist-run-city-in-vermont-having-2nd-thoughts-after-it-defunded-police-a-mistake\/"},"modified":"2024-10-25T20:46:20","modified_gmt":"2024-10-26T00:46:20","slug":"leftist-run-city-in-vermont-having-2nd-thoughts-after-it-defunded-police-a-mistake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/leftist-run-city-in-vermont-having-2nd-thoughts-after-it-defunded-police-a-mistake\/","title":{"rendered":"Leftist-Run City in Vermont Having 2nd Thoughts After It Defunded Police: \u2018A Mistake\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fleftist-run-city-in-vermont-having-2nd-thoughts-after-it-defunded-police-a-mistake%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2359830&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The \u200darticle discusses the repercussions faced by Burlington, Vermont, following its\u200c decision to reduce its <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\">police force amid nationwide protests<\/a> against police \u200cviolence in 2020. The city, known for its progressive politics, cut its police personnel by 30%, resulting in significant increases\u2064 in crime, drug addiction, and\u2064 homelessness. Local officials, including City Council President\u200c Ben Traverse, acknowledged rising drug trafficking, theft, and violent crimes since the cuts were implemented. <\/p>\n<p>Despite attempts to reverse the decision \u2062by raising the approved staffing levels, \u200dthe police department struggles with recruitment, \u2064currently employing only 68 officers, well below the ideal. Crime statistics reflect a \u200btroubling trend, with aggravated assaults and gun violence dramatically increasing. <\/p>\n<p>As the community grapples with the \u200dconsequences of &#8220;defund\u200b the police&#8221; policies, voter\u2062 support remains with the progressive leadership that originally enacted the cuts. The Burlington Police Officers Association has criticized \u200ccity leadership for \u2063not adequately supporting law enforcement, contributing to difficulties in recruitment. the city is witnessing a troubling correlation between its political choices and escalating quality-of-life issues.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (REP_0)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>A city that followed the national anti-police mania of 2020 is learning the hard way just how big a mistake that was.<\/p>\n<p>Burlington, Vermont &mdash; which gave socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders his <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/bernie-video-1987-shows-knows-free-health-care-will-bankrupt-america\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">start in elected office<\/a>&nbsp;four <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/republicans-fact-check-fellow-republicans-on-hurricane-misinformation-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Republicans fact-check fellow Republicans on hurricane misinformation - Washington Examiner\">decades ago &#038;mdash<\/a>; made a conscious decision four years ago to cut its police force amid the riots that plagued the country after the death of accused counterfeiter George Floyd.<\/p>\n<p>Now, overrun by crime, drug addiction and homelessness, the city has attempted to change course, but progress hasn&rsquo;t been easy, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/media\/burlington-community-leaders-more-officers-city-defunded-police-mistake\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fox News<\/a> reported Friday. In fact, when it comes to police numbers, it&rsquo;s pretty well non-existent.<\/p>\n<p>And the results have been utterly predictable.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve seen <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/yes-biden-will-absolutely-blame-putin-for-every-domestic-crisis-until-the-midterms\/\" title=\"Yes, Biden Will Absolutely Blame Putin For Every Domestic Crisis Until The Midterms\">increased drug trafficking<\/a> and drug use,&rdquo; City Council President Ben Traverse, a Democrat, told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n<p> <script type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\tif ( getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"stnvideo\").remove() \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> <\/p>\n<p>Traverse won a second two-year term in March, as reported by the <a href=\"https:\/\/vtdigger.org\/2024\/03\/05\/democrats-maintain-control-of-burlington-city-council\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VTDigger<\/a>, an online newspaper in the Green Mountain State. He was not on the city council when the council voted to cut its police force through attrition, but he&rsquo;s well aware of what&rsquo;s followed.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;You&rsquo;ve seen increased circumstances of retail theft as well, and a lot of crimes that revolve around that &mdash; increased gun-related crimes and other violence that comes with an increase in drug trafficking. Those are the kinds of issues that we&rsquo;ve been dealing with here.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Ernie Pomerleau, president and CEO of a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrat-charged-with-murdering-investigative-journalist-claims-hes-being-framed-by-a-realty-company\/\" title=\"Democrat Charged with Murdering Investigative Journalist Claims He&#039;s Being Framed by a Realty Company\">local real estate company<\/a>, agreed.<\/p>\n<p>He told Fox Digital that drug addiction, crime and homelessness have all risen since the decision to reduce policing.<\/p>\n<p>He said he disagreed with reducing police four years ago, but the leftists running the city had their way.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;And so, they allowed attrition to take down the police force &ndash; that was a mistake,&rdquo; Pomerleau told Fox News Digital.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We need to support the police.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>In 2020, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/hundreds-of-minneapolis-police-officers-left-after-getting-slammed-now-city-spending-millions-for-new-recruits\/\" title=\"Hundreds Of Minneapolis Police Officers Left After Getting Slammed. Now City Spending Millions For New Recruits.\">city council voted<\/a> to cut its police force by 30 percent, from 105 to 74, according to Fox.<\/p>\n<p>It has since attempted to backpedal on that, raising the department&rsquo;s approved staffing level to 87 in 2022 and again this year, but there aren&rsquo;t enough takers. The department currently has a staff of 68 officers, according to Fox.<\/p>\n<p>And now? According to Fox, &ldquo;violent crime is up significantly in Burlington, with crime data showing that aggravated assault has increased 40 percent and gunfire has gone up nearly 300 percent. Some local residents told Fox they find it &lsquo;dangerous&rsquo; to be out in public at night.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Burlington isn&rsquo;t alone in seeing the consequences of &ldquo;defund the police&rdquo; hysteria.<\/p>\n<p>Cities like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/portlands-liberal-hellhole-crime-skyrocketing-along-police-response-times-following-defund-police-calls-report\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Portland, Oregon<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/oakland-naacp-condemns-defund-police-blistering-statement-urges-white-asian-latino-communities-sound-crime-alarm\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Oakland, California<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/brutal-irony-blue-state-businesses-birthplace-defund-police-movement-sue-city-poor-policing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Minneapolis<\/a> &mdash; where the George Floyd craze began &mdash; have all seen crippling <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/leftist-corp-known-encouraging-riots-pulls-dem-run-cities-amid-string-bathroom-crimes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">quality-of-life issues<\/a> from their hostility to law enforcement.<\/p>\n<p>If Burlington residents are truly making the connection between leftist policies and the results that follow, it isn&rsquo;t showing up in the election results. In the March election that returned Traverse to office, VTDigger reported, the city elected a candidate from the Progressive Party as mayor and gave Progressives a fifth seat on the 12-member city council.<\/p>\n<p>Democrats hold six seats and an independent holds one.<\/p>\n<p>So a city that was run by a Democratic mayor and council in 2020 is now run by a Progressive mayor and Democratic\/Progressive council.<\/p>\n<p>That means leftist policies and politics are probably easier to find than police officers &mdash; and it&rsquo;s likely to remain that way.<\/p>\n<p>In a letter posted to its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bpoavt\/posts\/pfbid0TCLsuMb7xrHx4hYM5jTxFYtsLf9nYdYCgFWXAftxyQuUygtVRYLvPZkJsuuNgVsql\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">page<\/a> on Wednesday, the Burlington Police Officers Association &mdash; the union that represents the city&rsquo;s officers &mdash; charged city leaders with failing to support its officers, which the union said was reflected in the fact that <a href=\"https:\/\/vcjc.vermont.gov\/vermont-police-academy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Vermont Police Academy<\/a> cadets showed no interest in working in the city.<\/p>\n<p>In an interview with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wcax.com\/2024\/10\/24\/burlington-police-union-raises-officer-recruitment-concerns\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">WCAX-TV<\/a> in Burlington, Democratic City Councilwoman Joan Shannon described the situation in realistic terms.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re losing more officers than we&rsquo;re gaining and that is obviously not sustainable,&rdquo; she told the station.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative;\">\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey==typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts={ \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs=[ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i=0; i <inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! ( opts[inputs[i]]=document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"' + inputs[i] + '\"]' ).value ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .required-message' ).style.display='block'; \t\t\t\t\t\treturn; \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction input[type=\"submit\"]' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).src=firefly_loading_gif_url; \t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='inline-block';  \t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( 'ma subbing' );  \t\t\t\t\tif( firefly_post_id ) opts['post_id']=firefly_post_id;  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Send the data using post with element id name and name2*\/ \t\t\t\t\tvar posting=jQuery.post( firefly_ajax_url, opts );  \t\t\t\t\t\/* Alerts the results *\/ \t\t\t\t\tposting.done( function( response ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tif( response.success ) { \t\t\t\t\t\t\tconsole.log( response.data ); \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-submitting-img' ).style.display='none'; \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction .firefly-sc-confirm' ).style.display='block';  \t\t\t\t\t\t\tdataLayer.push( { 'event': 'submit-correction' } ); \t\t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t\t}); \t\t\t} \t\t<\/script> \t     \t\t\t\t\t\t     \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script>console.log(\"ad slot (BA1)\")<\/script> \t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"ff-fancy-header-container\"> \t\t\t \t<\/div>\n<style> \t\t\t \t\t\t.insticator-unit.type-commenting{margin: 0 10px 25px 10px}@media screen and (max-width:1060px){#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{margin: 0 auto 25px auto !important;}}#div-insticator-ad-cmt-1, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-2, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-3, #div-insticator-ad-cmt-4{height: 280px !important; width: 336px !important} \t\t<\/style>\n<div class=\"insticator-unit type-commenting\">\n<div class=\"insticator-ads\"> \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-1\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-2\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> \t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"insticator-ads additional\"> \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t<script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\"> \t\t\t\t\tif ( ! getCookie( \"ff_subbed\" ) ) { \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\"); \t\t\t\t\t\tInsticator.ad.loadAd(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\"); \t\t\t\t\t} else { \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-3\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t\tdocument.getElementById(\"div-insticator-ad-cmt-4\").remove() \t\t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\t<\/script> \t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A city that embraced the national anti-police sentiment of 2020 is now realizing the significant error it made. Burlington, Vermont\u2014home to socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders&#8217; political beginnings\u2014decided four years ago to reduce its police force during the unrest following George Floyd&#8217;s death. Now facing rising crime, drug issues, and homelessness, the city is struggling to reverse course, with police numbers nearly nonexistent. City Council President Ben Traverse noted an increase in drug trafficking and related crimes since the cuts were made. Local business leader Ernie Pomerleau also expressed concern over rising crime and homelessness since policing was reduced. In 2020, Burlington&#8217;s council cut its police force by 30%, but despite attempts to increase staffing levels since then, recruitment remains a challenge; currently, there are only 68 officers on duty. Violent crime has surged significantly in Burlington as a result of these policies. Other cities like Portland and Minneapolis have faced similar issues due to their anti-police stances. Despite these challenges, recent elections indicate continued support for leftist policies in Burlington\u2019s leadership<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2359831,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Burlington-police.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[40366,43450,43757,35975,14967],"class_list":["post-2359830","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-crime-rate","tag-defund-the-police","tag-leftist-policy","tag-public-safety","tag-vermont"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Burlington-police.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2359830","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2359830"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2359830\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2359831"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2359830"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2359830"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2359830"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}