The Vernon Police Department would like to thank those who made our first Open House a success. It was a pleasure to meet new faces, as well as familiar ones. We look forward to serving our community.
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Vernon Police Department
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A message from the Acting Police Chief
People are asking the questions, “Where is the Vernon Police Department, and why is the Sheriff’s Department still here?”
During the last few years the police department went through some unforeseen changes. A full staff of three full-time officers and four part-time officers dwindled to just the full-time officers, as the part-timers left and moved on to other agencies. Then disaster struck and Officer Bruce Gauld and I were both out injured with a broken leg within about one month of each other. This resulted in having no other recourse but to contract the Windham County Sheriff’s Department for coverage.
I want to assure all of you who have been so supportive of the Vernon Police Department that we are finally seeing the light at the end of this very long tunnel. The new part-time officers have been working diligently to complete their field training, which is the most important step to becoming certified.
Becoming a police officer is a long process. We must be sure the new officers are well trained and confident in handling all the challenges that will come their way when they are on their own. Once the field training has been completed, the paperwork is sent to the police academy where it is review by a committee, which is the final step to certification.
The injury I incurred in July has been very slow to heal, but I am now released to full duty and have taken over the field training for our new part-time officers. We will be decreasing the shift coverage by the Sheriff’s Department as soon as we have our new officers fully trained. It is an asset to have the various law enforcement agencies working together to provide services to the towns in Windham county and I thank the Sheriff’s Department for coming to our aid in a time of need.
While recuperating, I took care of administrative obligations that kept me very busy preparing the ground work for the vision I have for the Vernon Police Department.
It is my goal to have us fully staffed, with 3 full-time officers, 4 part-time officers, a full-time administrative clerk, and I would like to reinstate the animal control officer. The new cruiser has arrived and I will replace the old Dodge pickup truck. It will be on site for our OPEN HOUSE (see below).
I would also like to start up the Explorers Program for our young men and women who have expressed interest in the field of law enforcement, which offers experiential learning and hands on activities, promoting both growth and development of our adolescent youth.
During my time at the Harvard Police Department in Massachusetts, we disbanded the Dare Program and I was asked by the Chief to come up with an alternative program. I got together with the teaching staff at the elementary school and we had a very productive discussion on what would work best for the students. It was very satisfying to come up with a curriculum tailor made for these exceptionally bright students. This is something I would like to pursue as well for our students at the Vernon Elementary School. These are just a few if the ideas I have had for the community of Vernon.
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Bruce Gauld Promoted to Sergeant
Vernon chief, board fill police position
BRATTLEBORO — The Vernon Selectboard approved interim Chief Mary Beth Hebert’s decision to promote Bruce Gauld to sergeant Monday night.
Hebert, who has served as acting chief for roughly four months, said Gauld is very deserving of the promotion. She spoke to the board after they met with representatives from Vermont Yankee nuclear plant to discuss the recent developments at the Vernon facility.
“I think he’s more than qualified for the position,” she said. “He has over 30 years of law enforcement experience. He was a sergeant in Massachusetts for five years.”
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New Addition To Fleet
The Vernon Police Department is proud to announce the new addition to it’s fleet. Officer Bruce Gauld will be driving the new Chevy Tahoe while patrolling the streets and roads of Vernon. 
Town of Vernon Website
Please note that the Town of Vernon website address has changed. Please bookmark the new link at www.vernon-vt.org
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Vernon man gets 9 months for lewd and lascivious conduct with child
BRATTLEBORO — A Vernon man who committed lewd and lascivious conduct on a child was sentenced in Windham District Court on Wednesday to eight to 10 years, all suspended except nine months of prison time to serve.
Kevin O’Neil, 39, inappropriately touched a girl under the age of 10 in a sexual way on several occasions starting when she was 6 years old.
The incidents occurred at the girl’s residence in Brattleboro, where she said O’Neil would put his hands under the blanket and touch her while they were sitting on the couch.
The victim told police that she did not protest because she was “afraid (O’Neil) would yell at her.”
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Vernon man admits lewd and lascivious conduct
BRATTLEBORO – A Vernon man accused of inappropriately touching a child under the age of 10 pleaded guilty last Monday to lewd and lascivious conduct on a child.
In Windham District Court, Kevin O’Neil, 38, entered into an agreement with the state, but will not be officially sentenced until this week.
The agreement includes a sentence of eight to 10 years, all suspended except for nine months of prison time to serve.
In also states that O’Neil will be on indeterminate probation.
O’Neil engaged in lewd and lascivious behavior with the victim for two years, according to court documents.
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Vernon Man gets 6 months for weapons charge
BRATTLEBORO – Rodney Allen Moore, 44, of Vernon, was sentenced on Friday in U.S. District Court to six months in jail after pleading guilty to one count of possessing a weapon after conviction of a felony.
Moore also recieved two years of supervised release following the completion of his jail term from Judge J. Garvan Murtha.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Burlington, Moore, who was previously convicted of three felony offenses, was found to be in possession of a Remington Woodmaster rifle on Nov. 17, 2008, in violation of federal law.
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Accident in Vernon
On January 24, 2010 at approximately 7:20pm, Paul E. Boyce and Thomas G. Johnson were involved in a head on collision with no injuries on Route 142. Traffic was temporarily re-routed for approximatley 45 minutes on Route 142 where the crash had taken place because of icy road conditions. Continue reading ‘Accident in Vernon’ »
Vernon family struggles to adopt Haitian kids
BRATTLEBORO – Brittany Gilbert has traveled thousands of miles over many weeks to assist dozens of young children in Haiti. She has flown to the tiny island country five times, even surviving the heart-stopping earthquake on Jan. 12.
But the most challenging part for the Gilbert family is still on the horizon.
Brittany, a 21-year-old Vernon resident, and her mother Karen are currently drawing on all their resources to bring two Haitian orphans, 4-month-old David and 2-year-old Melodie, back to the Green Mountain State.
Brittany Gilbert returned to Vermont on Sunday evening after spending several days in Florida with 11 of the Haitian orphans from the Heartline Ministries facility she was working with in Port-au-Prince.
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