Burlington’s Costly Police Accountability Crisis | Montpelier News

Burlington’s police department has paid nearly $1.5 million in settlements and over $747,000 in legal fees since 2019—mostly tied to use-of-force incidents involving Black residents or those with mental health challenges, including a recent $150,000 payout for restraining a Black teen with disabilities using ketamine. With 99 use-of-force incidents involving Black people in 2025—six times their population share—the city faces mounting pressure despite years of efforts to address racial disparities. Advocates and Black leaders say progress remains insufficient, while the mayor admits equity gaps are a serious concern, urging deeper analysis into policing practices and community conditions. Data shows Black individuals are disproportionately targeted during trespass and disorderly conduct calls, potentially rooted in implicit bias. Meanwhile, some officers’ actions have been deemed appropriate by the department even when advocates argue deescalation was missed, and the city has cut key mental health response programs, raising urgent questions about accountability and crisis intervention going forward. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/3c496c94f10e05e0