I would like to thank The Herald owner, editor and publisher Tim Calabro for making The Herald articles available online for free to research this report. Without the publicity and information provided by our local hometown newspaper, we lose a critical leg of our democratic system.
Please support The Herald! Please say - Thank You, Tim!
Author's note: I began researching this issue last year when the police district budget was defeated at town meeting 2023. I have followed this issue over the years but never got personally involved. I applied to be on the police services committee last summer but I was not selected. It's just as well, I have numerous health issues and probably couldn't serve anyway. Besides that, I'm really not a committee guy. I'm just trying to do what I can to help the community see the bigger picture.
I know this report seems long, I did not intend for it to be this long. But it is important to examine this issue knowing the history of Randolph and business trends in the village district, along with the data about the police department, as well as what other towns are doing. It is only by thinking about this history over the past year that I was able to see traffic is the real problem.
My family moved to Randolph in 1980, I remember it well. I graduated from RUHS in 1987 and UVM in 1991. I was in the real estate and retail furniture business before having health issues. I moved back to Randolph in 2016 to be closer to family. Believe me when I say, I love Randolph!
I am not a politician, nor am I running for office. I was an entrepreneur. I haven't written anything like this for over 30 years, when I was in the real estate business. I might be a little rusty. I do what I can, then I have to rest. Thank you for understanding.
We didn't really have the internet thirty years ago. We had email, but it was really slow and didn't send big files. We had to drive around and take pictures of properties. The report had to look good on paper, here blogs have no page breaks, so much easier. I did this entire report on Google software - Sheets, Documents, Gmail, Maps, Blogger, and Streetview to take screenshots for pictures. I only had to physically copy some town reports at the town offices, and check out some books at The Kimball Library, everything else was online.
I have not been paid or otherwise compensated by anyone to produce this report. I was not instructed or requested by anyone to produce anything. I've been discouraged a few times, but I felt personally compelled to do something, and this is the result. The blog is not monetized. I spent $40 on software to extract the data from pdf files on the town website, otherwise the software was free, thanks to Google. And Apple, of course.
Each section of this report is also duplicated and posted as a separate blog entry. Read all as one below with some pictures, or as individual posts on the blog, with more pictures of Randolph. Links to each post are in the Table of Contents.
To support expanding the police district, please sign the petition here:
I welcome and encourage all feedback - comments, suggestions, and especially corrections to any errors or omissions I may have overlooked. A healthy debate is essential for a functional democracy.
Thank you for reading. Drew Terry, 2/1/2024
Introduction
I believe all residents of the greater Randolph area benefit from having police coverage in Randolph, whether you are in town every day, once a week or even just once a year. I support having a local police force not because there is a need for police on Elm Street, but rather because I trust the local police to respond to the needs and demands of the community they are serving. Some areas will naturally have a greater need for services than other areas, that is normal for any town or city.
The issue of police coverage in Randolph is uniquely complicated. Randolph leaders have made numerous attempts over the years to expand the police district beyond the existing village district. The issue is always hotly debated along a predictable dividing line: the residents of the village want to expand the police district to cover and tax the entire town, while the residents of the town want to keep the status quo and have village residents continue paying the majority of taxes for police services.
Both sides seem to think there is inherent unfairness in the opposing opinion - the village residents think the existing arrangement is unfair to the village residents, while the town residents think expanding the district to cover and tax the town is unfair to the newly taxed town residents. This is the argument every time expansion is debated, and defeated.
A local police force is an asset to the community; even if you never dial 911, it is insurance you hope you never need to claim. In the same manner, we pay taxes to maintain roads on which we never drive, and fire departments we hopefully never need to call. These are services on which we depend as a community, and for which the entire town is and should be taxed.
There is a clear distinction between metered services such as water and sewer, for which customers can be charged based on their usage, and fire or police coverage. The issue is not whether a resident lives in or outside of the village and expects to use or need police coverage. Highway maintenance, schools, fire, and numerous other budget items are not metered services. Why is the need for police coverage unique here in Randolph?
The Randolph police cover and respond to Gifford Hospital, the regional elementary and high school, local businesses, churches, Kimball library, municipal pool and recreation areas, and special events such as 4th of July, among many others. If you are a Randolph town resident, and patronize these destinations, you benefit from having local police coverage, regardless of where in town you actually live.
We are not alone - the issue has been debated in numerous other towns in Vermont over the years, and the dividing line is always the same. People outside of the village don’t want to pay for expansion, and people in the village are tired of paying for coverage that benefits the entire town but is only paid for by the village. However, all of these other towns have resolved the issue, as further described below, except for Randolph.
It has been nearly a year since the village police budget was defeated and a police services committee was formed to study the issue yet again. The committee is preparing to issue a recommendation to partially expand the village district but not include the entire town. A partial expansion will further perpetuate division between residents in and out of the district, and guarantee the issue will continue to be debated.
The primary problem is traffic, as shown by analysis of 2023 RPD data in this report.
In addition, at the January 18th, 2024 selectboard meeting, Police Chief Clouatre said year end data from the VT State Police showed they responded to approximately 1,100 incidents from the town of Randolph, outside of the village district. He also said the Randolph PD responded to roughly 1,700 incidents in the village district during that time.
The data demonstrates a clear and convincing need for police coverage in the town outside the village district. It is time for Randolph residents to stop relying on outside agencies, take responsibility for our local police coverage, resolve the discrepancy created by the village district, and expand the district to cover the entire town.
Table of Contents
Vermont Towns - Population, Crime Index and Police Coverage Comparison
Policy Implications
Conclusion
Links to read this report as individual blog posts are as shown above.
Executive Summary
The businesses that used to populate the village police district and represented a destination for area residents have moved on or closed over the past 40 years since the town/village merger in 1983.
There have been very few new businesses to replace them, leaving significant commercial vacancies throughout the village district.
The residential population in both town and village has remained flat since 1980. Zero growth for decades.
The areas south and east of the village district have seen substantial growth and development of new business real estate since the merger. These properties do not pay police district taxes and are a major destination for traffic passing through the village.
The demand for law enforcement in the village is primarily traffic related, due to the flow of commuters traveling through the village, instead of to the village, to get to their destination.
This traffic is caused by residents who have no choice but to drive through the village to get to their destination.
The village traffic is further exacerbated by area students and parents attending elementary, middle and high school in the village, as well as area residents going to Gifford Hospital.
The village police district tax is an impediment to bringing significant new business to the village, which is confirmed by the significant new development outside the village district. This puts the district residents at a disadvantage, paying taxes for police coverage while business stagnates and vacancies proliferate. The result is ever increasing costs for village residents.
The animosity created by this town/village division will continue to hinder growth, compromise teamwork and foster uncertainty for the entire community. The selectboard spends countless hours dealing with village police district issues. This is time and effort that could be much better spent elsewhere. It is also likely to discourage otherwise willing volunteers to serve on the board.
A partial expansion of the district will only create the same situation over a larger footprint. The incentive and opportunity to avoid police taxes will still exist, and business will be likely to avoid new development in the partially expanded district. This will push new development to areas just outside the new boundaries.
A partial expansion will perpetuate and compound the existing division within the community. That leaves the problem up to future generations; what past generations did to us (“kick the can down the road”).
The logical choice is to expand the district to the entire town, level the playing field, and establish a town wide police force with the goal of growing into a regional law enforcement agency serving Randolph, Braintree, Brookfield, Bethel and perhaps Chelsea and Tunbridge. This would provide stability and a career path to new officers and help to reduce the risk officers decide to leave.
Residents in town, outside the district, are not likely to ever vote in favor of town wide expansion. Therefore, this will probably only be accomplished either by selectboard fiat, or by the village district taxpayers refusing to fund any budgets for police services until and unless the town wide expansion is approved. Essentially, this would be holding the town hostage with the possibility that the police department is dissolved and Randolph is left without coverage. If the town refuses to vote for approval, and the selectboard refuses to act, this may be the only choice for change.
Alternatively, to show good faith, the village could simply refuse to fund more than the cost of three (3) full-time officers, the same number of officers under the OCSD contract which worked so well. The village should not be held hostage by the town and forced to pay for more coverage than necessary.
Approval of a town wide police department should include plans to establish a new headquarters centrally located to serve the entire town and surrounding areas. One ideal location would be the old Especially Imports blue building on Route 66. The parking lot and utilities are already established, the building could be easily renovated to provide offices and the garage area necessary for prisoner security. It would be easily accessed from the interstate and allow favorable response times, especially to East Randolph. This would help to ease concerns that town residents are paying for a village police force. Finally, it would provide a focus for the community to rally around and celebrate finally resolving this issue after so many years in limbo.
A new headquarters on Route 66 would be highly visible to area residents, something to reassure people and a reason to take pride in their community. It would also be far more affordable than a new building from scratch. This support from the town would improve department morale and provide incentives for long term commitment to the department, a serious concern given the lack of qualified personnel.
The area's population has been stagnant for 40 years. Is it a coincidence that it has also been 40 years since the merger? It is time for change.
Randolph Village Police District - History
The village of Randolph used to be known as West Randolph and was first incorporated in 1876, with a total population of about 2,829 residents, primarily residing in the village. This compares to a 2020 village population of 2,102 residents, a decline of 25% compared to 148 years ago. The village police force was established sometime in the 1890’s, when the area was entirely dirt roads and the primary mode of transportation was railroads, horses and wagons. The village was densely populated with residents and numerous, thriving businesses all located to take advantage of river water and railroad for manufacturing. The railroad was the major source of transportation for raw materials and finished products until well after the interstate was built in the 1960’s.
Travel to and from various locations around Randolph was far more difficult when the village was surrounded by dirt roads and farm land. For example, state route 66 was not built until 1951; prior to that, travel between East Randolph, Randolph Center and Randolph village (formerly West Randolph) was arduous and time consuming. Essentially, people did not travel far from home very often, and most activity was in the village, so there was no need to have local police outside of the village.
Until the 1960’s Randolph village had 5 different grocery stores, in addition to major industrial manufacturing, all in the village. There was a P&C grocery store downtown, in the current location of Rite Aid. Our current grocery store, Shaws, is located south of the village district.
Well into the 1970’s and 1980’s, we had more local industry in the village, including Vermont Castings, Branchwood, Ethan Allen and Merrimaids. These were significant manufacturing enterprises, with numerous employees all using the village services. Lamson’s Hardware, Scribner's, The Music Shop, Ben Franklin, The Thomas Shop, Grant’s Pharmacy, August Lion, Victoria’s and The Night Owl were all located on Main Street. Central Supplies had two locations in the village. Finally, the village had Ashley’s Bar, which helped to justify police on duty 24 hours per day. None of these businesses exist downtown today.
As businesses have expanded and left the village the residential population over the past 40 years has actually declined slightly. The lack of business real estate taxes results in a greater cost burden for remaining area residential properties.
Randolph Town & Village Population
Historically, Randolph Town and Village have seen essentially zero population growth over the past 40 years. A lack of growth means a lack of new tax revenue with which we could fund police, roads, water, sewer, schools and other municipal services. Town officials completing the merger in 1984 probably thought the tremendous growth Randolph saw during the 1970's would continue, instead of being flat for decades.
From 1970 to 1980, the Randolph town population increased dramatically, to a total of 4,689 residents, a 20% increase in just ten years. The village population grew from 2,115 to 2,215 residents, or 4.6%. Unfortunately, population growth stopped in the 1980's. In the year 2000, the census reported a total of 4,853 residents in the Town of Randolph. In 2010, the town of Randolph had a total population of 4,778, while the village had declined to a total population of 1,974.
Finally, in 2020, the town of Randolph had a total population of 4,773, while Randolph village had a total population of 2,102, according to the US Census. This shows the village population has declined since 1980, while the town population has remained flat. Some estimates predict a continued decline in population over the next ten years.
Vermont Towns - Population, Crime Index and Police Coverage Comparison
The following is a comparison of various Vermont towns including population, crime index and police coverage per 1,000 residents. The data shows numerous small and medium size towns rely on either the State Police or Sheriff's office for police coverage.
Randolph had a total of 6 full time officers in 2016/2017, with a crime index of 35.7 for a village population of 2,012 residents. This translates to a coverage ratio of 2.85 officers per 1,000 residents, rather high when compared to towns of similar size and crime index.
The proposed FY 2025 budget to cover the entire Town of Randolph projects a total of 8 full time officers with 4,774 residents, for a ratio of 1.68 officers per resident, more in line with neighboring towns police coverage.
Crime Statistics
Statistics on crime in Randolph show a gradual decline in crime overall since 2006. Specifically, research on city-data.com shows a crime index of 35.4 for 2017, the most recent year shown (the last year Randolph had a police department). This compares to a crime index of 66.2 for 2006, with an average crime index between 2006 and 2017 of 56.6 for the 11 year period. The local data compares to an average crime index of 270.6 for the entire United States.
Within Vermont, comparable cities and towns include Castleton with a population of 4,458 and a crime index of 46.8, Morristown with a population of 5,434 and a crime index of 116.6, Hinesburg with a population of 4,698 and a crime index of 72.1, while Northfield has a population of 5,918 with a crime index of 100.6. Figures for larger cities include Montpelier with a population of 8,074 and a crime index of 209.4, and St. Johnsbury has a population of 7,364 and a crime index of 120.1, while smaller villages such as Bethel have no published crime index.
I have included a sample of the data below, the entire spreadsheet is included below as Exhibit A - Vermont Cities & Towns, Population, Crime Index and Police Coverage.
Based on the crime index statistics, criminal activity in Randolph is relatively low when compared to other cities and towns in the state. Northfield has a townwide population roughly 24% larger than Randolph, yet has a crime index nearly double that of Randolph. Northfield only employs a total of 5+ police officers, about the same number proposed for Randolph. (Source: https://www.city-data.com)
Not including Randolph, there are at least 27 Vermont towns with populations between 2,000 to over 5,000 residents that have no local police department (see Exhibit A). These include Fairfax, Georgia, Derby, East Montpelier, and Williamstown.
It is important to note that none of the Vermont towns I contacted resolved the issue with a partial expansion of the village police district. They are all either town-wide, the department was dissolved, or the village district remains as is (Bellows Falls & Bristol).
Link to post with complete spreadsheet data on all Vermont towns in the survey:
https://randolphpoliceservicesdebate.blogspot.com/2023/12/vermont-towns-population-crime-index.html
Randolph Village Police District - Expansion Attempts
In 2001, a police/fire committee recommended expanding the police district south to include the businesses on Beanville Road, and Shaw’s plaza. A total of roughly 150 residents would have been required to pay tax for police services in the newly expanded district. However, at town meeting, 12 residents of the proposed expanded district were unanimous in voting no and the expansion was defeated. It is not clear from the Herald article why 12 notes were able to defeat a vote affecting 150 people. The article does not say how many votes were in favor of the expansion.
(Source: https://www.ourherald.com/articles/police-district-wont-be-expanding-in-randolph/
In 2005, a police services committee was created to study the issue and make recommendations, very similar to our current committee. However, the expansion was again defeated by voters.
(Source: https://www.ourherald.com/articles/citizens-disagree-on-police-district/)
In 2006, town meeting was largely devoted to discussion of the police district expansion. There was an informal vote taken, with the results showing “most people wanted some expansion of the police district—either to include the whole town or just the adjacent commercial properties. They also want the town as a whole to be able to vote on it.”
(Source: https://www.ourherald.com/articles/randolph-meeting-lasts-3-hours/)
The police budget was defeated twice in 2006, in part due to the anger and resentment of village taxpayers that Randolph Police were responding to calls outside of the village. A police committee advising the selectboard at the time recommended that the Randolph Police be forbidden from responding to calls outside the village district, except in cases of immediate risk of life and death. The police force at the time consisted of 6 full time officers. The revised budget with 5 officers was once again rejected after the budget committee recommended voting no to protest the village paying for police services.
(Source: https://www.ourherald.com/articles/whats-the-future/)
In 2007, the issue was raised and a police advisory committee was formed to make recommendations. Once again, the idea of expanding the district to cover the entire town was debated after the police department complained that officer salaries were too low to retain qualified personnel. The argument was the village alone cannot afford to pay competitive salaries but this could be affordable if the entire town paid for it.
During the 2007 debates, a petition was created by Joe Voci and signed by 164 residents opposed to any expansion of the police district. The petition requested the selectboard refuse to consider any expansion unless the expansion was requested by town residents - the people who would be subject to new taxes to pay for it. Of course, those outside of the village district ultimately refused to expand the district.
(Source: https://www.ourherald.com/articles/selex-wont-act-on-police-petition/)
In July, 2018, following the resignation of Chief Brunelle after 11 months on the job, the selectboard formed an ad-hoc committee to “explore options about the future of policing in downtown, including questions about whether to expand the downtown police district or eliminate the department altogether.”
“There has been a lot of discussions over the years about whether the current force was sized correctly,” wrote selectboard chair Trini Brassard in an email on Tuesday, outlining long-standing questions about whether “the services provided were correct and even if the services should be expanded across the town.”
(Source: https://www.ourherald.com/articles/brunelle-resigns/)
The article states the department lost 4 of 5 officers and began contracting for police services with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department after the 5th officer resigned in September, 2018. The OCSD contract was for 120 hours per week, equivalent to 3 full-time officers working full-time. This substantially reduced the cost of police coverage for the next few years, until the OCSD contract was canceled in 2023.
The OCSD reported responding to 300 calls from July - September 2018, and making approximately 20-25 arrests in the same period. That translates to roughly 1,200 calls and 100 arrests per year. At the time, Randolph appeared to have lots of options, as “Col. Birmingham has indicated VSP’s willingness to provide Randolph with an offer similar to the one presented to Waterbury.” It appears Randolph also had a contract with OCSD to patrol town roads, as well as provide dispatch services for the fire department.
(Source: https://www.ourherald.com/articles/cop-committee-looks-at-options-will-listen-to-public-next-friday/)
The committee ultimately decided to recommend continuing to provide coverage with OCSD, primarily because OCSD was providing deputies for 120 hours per week, equivalent to 3 full-time officers, compared with 5-6 officers under the former RPD. The committee also determined that Randolph has a “very, very, very low crime rate” which explains why the village doesn’t need 5-6 full-time officers. This also reduced the police budget in half, pleasing resident taxpayers and putting the issue aside until the OCSD contract was canceled.
(Source: https://www.ourherald.com/articles/randolph-selex-hear-police-advice-deal-with-appointments-too/)
In July, 2020 Sheriff Bohnyak reported deputies “in the last year of policing in the Randolph police district, officers stopped over 600 vehicles, issued 120 tickets, wrote over 500 warnings, arrested 49 people (mostly for driving offenses), and performed 175 citizen assists, as well as 114 agency assists.” The number of incidents to which they responded was not specified. This data correlates with the reduced activity reported by RPD during 2023.
Note: The village does not have the criminal activity that used to exist 30 years ago, nor does it have the business that was in part responsible for the activity. That is why 3 full time deputies with the OCSD provided sufficient coverage. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to staff a full time department with only 3 officers. It is also more costly due to economies of scale, as well as severe inflation in the cost of law enforcement, over and above the official rate of inflation.
For more information, see here:
https://randolphpoliceservicesdebate.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-herald-randolph-police-committee.html
Randolph Police Department - Staffing History
To better understand the historical activity and demands of the police department, I researched the town reports going back to 1990. According to the reports, the department had a total of six (6) full-time officers as recently as 2017. In 2005, the reports show a total of five (5) full-time officers. Unfortunately, the summary in the town reports only show total complaints and incidents without a breakdown by category. However, they do specify the criminal activity and total budget for the department, which I have outlined here:
https://randolphpoliceservicesdebate.blogspot.com/2023/12/randolph-police-department-historical.html
For the 10 year period from 1990 to 1999, the department averaged a total of 5,282 complaints per year. In addition, there was an average of 272 arrests and 396 traffic tickets/accidents per year for this period. The complaints appear to be a total of all inquiries to the department, whether or not they resulted in actual incidents handled. The report format changed after Chief Philip Molliter retired in 2001. The new chief Krakowiecki began reporting complaints as well as incidents per year. For 2023, there were a total of 25 arrests made, most from arrest warrants.
Randolph Police Department - Historical Activity Comparison
The following is a comparison of the Randolph Police Department arrest and ticket activity during the 1990's and 2023.
To compare the reported 2023 data to historical data from the nineties, I reviewed the police reports submitted for the town report each year. Copies of each report are included at the end of this post for reference.
During the decade, Chief Mollitor reported the total number of complaints during the year, as well as arrests by category, traffic tickets issued, warnings issued, and auto accidents. Today, the department is reporting activity differently. In any case, there are not nearly as many arrests during the year.
Most importantly, the number of incidents handled in 2023 is far below the average number of complaints reported by Chief Mollitor in the 1990's. In any case, if incidents and complaints are comparable activities, then it seems the department is not nearly as busy as thirty years ago.
The department reported an average total of 5,282 calls per year during the nineties. This compares to an annual rate of 2,366 incidents for 2023.
Arrests have dropped substantially. As shown above, the average arrests per year in the decade was 272; during the six month period ending December, 2023 the department arrested a total of 25 people, equivalent to 50 people per year, half of which are on arrest warrants. This is 18.38% of the ten year average from thirty years ago.
For traffic tickets and warnings, the statistics show an increase in tickets in 2023, compared to the department average of 396 traffic tickets per year during the 1990's. During 2023, the department issued 207 traffic tickets in six months, for an annual rate of 414 per year.
There were an additional 32 traffic warnings during the six month period in 2023, but Chief Mollitor did not report warnings so there is no comparison. In any case, demand for traffic enforcement seems greater than thirty years ago.
See spreadsheet data here and town report pages from 1990 - 2020:
https://randolphpoliceservicesdebate.blogspot.com/2024/01/randolph-police-historical-activity.html
Randolph Village Police Department - Budget History
The cost of police services in Randolph has been rising much faster than the rate of inflation for years. On 4/20/2006, The Herald noted, “In other words, as police expenses increased 25% in nine years, taxes to support the department increased almost 81%.” This was due in part to the expiration of federal programs which supported the police during the 1990’s decade. Similarly, the department in 2023 received a grant which supported the police budget and helped to convince voters to approve the revised budget in June 2023.
The inflation adjusted ten year average police budget for the period 1991-2000 was $541,260. From 2002 to 2011, the average police budget was $636,085. The cost declined during the Orange County Sheriff’s years of coverage, which reduced the 10 year average for the 2014-2023 period to $585.283. These figures, however, pale in comparison to the proposed police budget for FY 2024/25, currently projected to be $856,248.
Remember, these figures are all adjusted for inflation to 2023 dollars, so these are actual, hard costs over and above typical inflation. In other words, the cost of providing police services has risen 58% compared to 30 years ago.
This graph shows what the PD cost in past years (blue), adjusted for inflation to 2023 dollars (red), then compared to the proposed FY2025 budget (green). The data is shown below. The difference between the red and green lines is the inflated cost of law enforcement, over and above the actual rate of inflation.
For example, in 1991 the actual cost was $260,020, the inflation adjusted cost for the year is $592,571, for six (6) full-time officers, including chief, plus administrative and part-time officers.
The FY2025 budget proposal of five (5) full-time officers, including the chief, is $721,838.
The difference, $200,267, represents the inflated cost of law enforcement, over and above the official rate of inflation for the economy as a whole.
The FY2025 budget is funding fewer officers than in 1991, yet the cost is $200,267 more dollars. That is an increase of 33.8% ($200,267/$592,571=.338).
In other words, we are spending way more money, and getting fewer officers, than in the past. This is why the proposed budget seems to be expensive compared to past years, and also why the village residents are balking at the cost. It seems more expensive because it is!
This is law enforcement inflation.
What can be done about it? Not much, given the demographics. Our birth rate has been falling for 20 years now, and we new see reductions in the population of graduating seniors each year. When I graduated from RUHS in 1987 there were nearly 100 students in my class. Last year, RUHS only graduated something like 54 or 55 students, roughly half compared to thirty years ago. There are some indications that the birth rate will recover but until then there is not much society can do - the people were never born. The only other option is immigration.
Law enforcement demands young people to work in the field. They are not going to hire a 45 year old changing careers for whatever reason, the physical demands are too great. Like lots of other jobs with which they compete, the salaries of law enforcement officers are at a premium, and filling these positions will be challenging.
For this reason, it is critical that any department do whatever they can to retain qualified personnel. There are too many other agencies competing for a small pool of people in any given area. In a rural area such as ours, this becomes even more important.
For complete breakdown with spreadsheet data see here:
https://randolphpoliceservicesdebate.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-cost-of-law-enforcement-inflation.html
Randolph Police Department • 2023 Incident Data Analysis
The following is a summary of 2023 incidents as reported by the Randolph Police Department for the six (6) months ending December, 2023. Here is the link to reports on the town website.
The total number of incidents reported was 1,183, including 294 requests for fingerprints, 239 traffic stops, 63 agency assists, 60 citizen assists, 58 directed patrols, 55 suspicious events, 26 welfare checks, 25 arrests, 23 motor vehicle incidents, 22 special events, 18 accidents, 17 vandalism, 17 juvenile problems, 12 thefts, 8 assaults, and a variety of miscellaneous categories (all shown in the list below). Remember, this data is for only six (6) months, so figures should be doubled for annual rates. That would translate to 2,366 incidents per year.
How do we interpret this data? We need to determine what category represents the greatest demand for law enforcement in the community.
First, we have a graph of incidents by category, and the majority of incidents reported are fingerprint requests, traffic stops, motor vehicle complaints, accidents, agency/assists, and directed patrol.
Directed patrol typically involves supervision of traffic enforcement in a designated area of concern.
Traffic stops, motor vehicle complaints, accidents and directed patrol are all directly related to traffic or vehicle infractions, so they can be combined to get a better picture of how much demand is related to traffic and vehicle law enforcement.
In the next graph, traffic stops, motor vehicle complaints, accidents and directed patrol are all combined to represent 28.6% of all incidents. Fingerprint requests are the next highest category at 24.9%.
Fingerprints are a service provided to anyone by appointment; this is not really a law enforcement category. It is not a "demand" for law enforcement like traffic or domestic violence. It is also a service to the entire town, not just village residents. Therefore, the next graph subtracts fingerprints from the total to get a more complete picture of the demand for law enforcement.
Eliminating fingerprints, we see 38% of law enforcement activity is spent on traffic or vehicle related demands. Where does the traffic come from? Where is the traffic going?
My contention is traffic is a major law enforcement category in the village because the village is the junction of 3 state highways dominated by commuter traffic either going to school, going to the hospital, or passing through the village on their commute from home to work. They are not traveling to the village to work or shop in the village district, as they did in past years when the village was the destination. Instead, they are traveling through the village to get to their destination.
This is why we see so much traffic related enforcement, yet arrest activity has dropped substantially compared to past decades. During the 1990's with Chief Mollitor, the department averaged 272 arrests per year, including double digits for B&E and DWI. Last year, the department only arrested 25 people in six months, an annual rate of 50 arrests per year, most on warrants. That is 18.38% of the average during Chief Mollitor's tenure.
Why is that? Because the criminal activity that resulted in so many arrests no longer exists as it did in the past. A detailed review of arrest and traffic activity during the 1990's compared to 2023 is here in my blog post. With reduced business, there are fewer people, and less crime.
The businesses located out of the village district today did not exist back when town and village merged in 1983. The business in the village was largely responsible for the activity in the village that resulted in the need for local police coverage. The middle school and high school started bussing students from the region to the village in the 1960’s. The elementary school started bussing students from East and Center to the village in the year 2000.
Over the years, the village has suffered as the major employers in the village have closed or moved, while numerous small businesses have closed. Ethan Allen laid off 154 employees in 2002. According to the Herald, Ethan Allen at one time employed over 400 people at two locations in the village. It used to be hard to get a parking spot on Main Street during the day. There were cars and pedestrians everywhere.
Today, Main Street is a shadow of its former glory; people shop on Amazon now. The Ben Franklin block is half empty. Ditto so many other vacant storefronts. Several commercial buildings burned and were not rebuilt as there is no demand (remember The Night Owl? The Thomas Store? The old liquor store next to the Olberman's pizza shop? So many others...).
It is not an accident that major employers are now located outside the village district, as a business will avoid taxes wherever possible. It is for the same reason that the village fails to attract major new employers, as they have no compelling reason to pay the police tax voluntarily. A business will always take the best deal they can get, that is their duty to shareholders. Dubois & King was very generous to locate in the village, largely thanks to Mr. Bill Baumann. That building could easily be another vacant eyesore on Main Street. No wonder the village struggles to land new business, it is at a severe disadvantage due in part to the police taxes.
I believe the traffic is a town problem, as the traffic would largely not exist except for the schools, hospital and commuters. The hospital and schools pay no property taxes and serve the entire region, not just the village. In addition, people in the village can and do walk, while people from town have no choice but to drive, further contributing to the problem.
When the village was the destination, the police were supported by the businesses that drew the people to the village. Now, the destination is too often business out of the village, leaving the police to handle commuter traffic that burdens instead of benefits the village.
This occurs over a long period of time, and people tend to forget the way things were. That is why I have focused on history. The village used to support and need six (6) full time officers, yet we were fine with three (3) full time deputies during the recent OCSD contract. What changed?
We see in the data that 30-40% of the incidents are traffic related. It is traffic and roads that demand the most attention. Retail is not going to recover in my lifetime, if ever; the storefronts on Main Street will continue to struggle. Factories are not likely to ever be major employers in the village again. This is not pessimism, it is realism.
We need to recognize the nature of the village has changed, and so should our approach to police coverage.
Following is a list of total incidents by category for July - December 2023 used to make the graphs above.
Why Is Randolph History Relevant to this Debate?
Times change and yet people get stuck with the status quo and don’t want to change with the times. The village used to be much busier than it is today, because the village used to be the destination for commerce in the region. When I moved here in 1981, the village businesses were the major employer, and there were people everywhere. The businesses south of the village today did not exist 40 years ago, when the town and village merged together. Restaurants were busy. Shops were full. Vacancies were minimal. Business was good.
Randolph is somewhat unique because the village is the intersection of several state highways which provide the bulk of traffic, especially during peak times. People are either going to one of the regional schools, the hospital, or they are traveling THRU the village to get to work or to shop, especially at one of the businesses south of the village district. Years ago, people were traveling TO the village, either to work or to shop. The village was the reason for the traffic, now the village is stuck in the middle of traffic. Most people are not stopping to shop or work in the village, they are passing thru. Our geography is more similar to Northfield and Waterbury than Chelsea and Tunbridge.
The village is busy because of the location, not because it is a destination. Where before the village needed local police coverage due to the activity of business and residents, we now see primarily traffic enforcement in the time spent by officers. Arrests are way down compared to past years, it was several hundred per year in the 1990’s, last year less than 50. However, traffic tickets have increased and warnings are through the roof. Even DWI enforcement is nothing compared to the past, we have no bars now. The village after 5 pm is very quiet. Restaurants have trouble staying open, and we have numerous vacant buildings. People shop on Amazon.
If the village was not the junction of several state highways, the need to enforce traffic laws would diminish. The village only has 2,000 people, compared to 5,000 for the entire town. The history shows that the need for local law enforcement in the village was driven primarily by business that does not exist in the village today. That is why the village was fine with 3 deputies providing 120 hours per week from the OCSD under the recent contract, compared to 6 full-time officers, plus part-time, in the past under Chief Mollitor and Chief Krakowiecki.
The problem is it is difficult but not impossible to run a department with only 3 officers, with vacation, sick time, leave, etc.. In 2020, there were 1,983 police departments with 2-4 full time officers, about 17% of all agencies nationwide. However, it is more expensive due to economies of scale.
If the town does not want to expand the district, then the village could simply refuse to fund more than 3 full-time officers, with overtime in the case of emergency. When the shift is over, they go off-duty and all calls go to the state police.
I think the calls reported by the state police in 2023, about 1,000 coming from town (not village), demonstrate the need for local coverage, but I understand the reluctance. I am simply trying to show that our needs have changed, and therefore so should our approach to providing police coverage. If we continue to rely on outside agencies, then we give up control as we saw when the OCSD contract was canceled.
Yes, running our own department has issues, every decision has implications. All law enforcement agencies are lacking qualified personnel. But if we have a police department, we owe the officers working our full support.
Comparisons with Similar Vermont Towns
Please note: the information presented about towns in this section was reliable as of July, 2023, unless otherwise noted, and is subject to change, errors, and omissions.
Northfield recently went through a process similar to the process in which Randolph is currently engaged. The town and village merged in 2014 so the entire town now pays for police coverage. Prior to 2014, the Northfield village properties paid an additional tax for the police department, yet the department covered the village and town without exception. The village of Northfield, VT had a 2020 population of 3,757 while the entire town had a total 2020 population of 5,918. As of December 2023, Northfield Police Chief Gomez reports they currently employ a total of 3 full time officers, with 1 part-time, 1 on military leave and 1 entering the academy, not including the Chief.
In Waterbury, the local police force was disbanded in 2018, due to high costs, when the town and village merged into the Town of Waterbury. The Town contracted with the Vermont State Police to provide 2 officers on a full-time basis. The town population in 2020 was 5,331, with a village population of 1,801 (as of 2018).
In Hardwick, the town and village merged in 1988, and the town now has a police force consisting of 4 full time officers, 3 part time officers and a chief of police. The town in 2020 had a total population of only 2,920 residents, with a crime index of 119.6. This compares to an average crime index for Randolph between 2006 and 2017 of 56.6 for the 11 year period. The local data compares to an average crime index of 270.6 for the entire United States.
There appears to be more criminal activity in Hardwick than Randolph, and the size of the force appears justified. The criminal activity is significant given the relatively low Hardwick population. The Hardwick chief of police reports the number of officers in Hardwick is the minimum necessary to provide 24/7 coverage, training, peak hours and down time.
The town of Dorset, VT, with a total of 2,133 residents, completed a public safety collaboration study in April 2015. Residents had complained that coverage historically provided by the Vermont State Police was insufficient. The study recommended that coverage be provided by the Manchester Police Department.
Unfortunately, the town was unable to negotiate an acceptable contract with the Manchester Police Department. The cost of services proposed was deemed excessive by Dorset officials. The town currently has a 1 year renewable contract with the Bennington County Sheriff’s Office to provide 40-50 hours per week of coverage. A contract with VSP is not possible at this time due to VSP staffing issues.
The town of Greensboro, VT had a contract with the Hardwick Police Department to provide services for years. In 2020, contract renewal negotiations broke down over the cost of services to be provided, and the result is Greensboro now has a contract with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department as of March, 2021.
In July 2021 in Georgia, VT the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department canceled a contract for services with 10 months remaining after negotiations to renew the contract broke down over costs increases for the new year. The existing contract rate was $45.15 per hour, the new rate was proposed to be $67.30 per hour, for 40 patrol hours per week, an increase of at least $46,000 per year. Georgia had a total 2020 population of 4,845 residents.
West Rutland has a population of 2,214 and maintains a contract with the Rutland County Sheriff’s Office for police coverage totaling roughly 40 hours per week, according to the West Rutland Town Manager. She reports West Rutland used to have a small department but found they could no longer afford it. They have used the Sheriff’s Office for the past 15 or 20 years with good results.
In Richford, VT, with 2,346 residents, the town clerk says the town has a contract for services with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office for 40 hours per week. The town and village merged about 20 years ago, and now the entire town pays for police coverage. It was formerly paid for by the village, similar to Randolph.
In Danville, with 2,044 residents, the town spends a total of only $5,200 per year on a contract for services with the Caledonia County Sheriff’s Office. With a total population of 2,335 residents, the clerk says they don’t need much police coverage and can’t afford to spend more than they already do.
In Pownal, with 3,259 residents, the town has both an elected, unpaid constable and a contract with the Bennington County Sheriff’s Office to provide coverage for 40 hours per week. This contract is currently being re-negotiated, and the town is not sure what the future costs will be or if they will be able to afford coverage.
In Sheldon, the town has a 2020 population of 2,136 residents and is currently without police coverage after the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office canceled the former contract which included 15 hours per week at a total cost of $35,000 per year. They have been unable to find any coverage to replace the loss of the Sheriff’s Office contract.
Finally, in Castleton with 4,458 residents in 2020, the Castleton police force employs a total of 5 full-time officers. The Castleton PD provides services to the communities of Castleton, Hydeville and Bomoseen. The Castleton PD is very close to the size of the Randolph PD until 2017, but it serves a much larger area than Randolph Village.
Not including Randolph, there are at least 27 Vermont towns with populations between 2,000 to over 5,000 residents that have no local police department. These include Fairfax, Georgia, Derby, East Montpelier, and Williamstown.
See more here:
https://randolphpoliceservicesdebate.blogspot.com/2023/12/vermont-towns-population-crime-index.html
Why Partial Expansion of the Police District Will Fail
The Randolph Police Services Committee is preparing to recommend a partial expansion of the village police district to include the areas south of the village on Route 12 and Beanville Road to the Bethel town line, as well as the Route 66 corridor up to and including Exit 4. What would happen if this were approved?
If the village police district were partially expanded, it would create the same situation we have now over a larger footprint.
What has happened since the town and village merger in 1984 is that the large and small businesses that used to be the foundation of Randolph village have either relocated, closed or expanded outside of the village district. Route 12 and Beanville Road south of town was almost entirely vacant farmland prior to 1984. For decades, businesses were located in the village where there was infrastructure for utilities and pedestrian traffic.
People used to walk everywhere in the village; you didn't need a car. That changed over the years as cars improved and retail began the era of large buildings with acres of parking, totally the opposite of the village. People began to walk less and drive more. Slowly but surely, the access and exposure offered by a Main Street retail location was not as important as having a big standalone box. A changing business environment coincided with an altered business landscape.
The businesses did not move out of the village because of the police district taxes, but the taxes have certainly discouraged new business from locating in the village. Look at all the new business development that has occurred just outside of the village district boundary. Now consider how many vacant spaces and dilapidated buildings there are in the village. Some of them could be rebuilt, but instead new business locates outside the village.
A village location, especially retail, is not in demand. Retail has been decimated by Amazon. That is not going to change anytime soon, and will probably get worse. We are lucky to have the retail we still have, both in and out of the village.
There are many advantages to business locating out of the village; avoiding the police tax is a bonus.
If Randolph were to partially expand the district, the new district would be at a disadvantage and new businesses would be incentivized to avoid the new district. It would encourage new business development just outside of the new boundaries, while businesses in the newly expanded district would be encouraged to relocate - just like they did after the merger in 1984.
If you give a business a loophole, they will take it. The police district needs to cover the entire town, or the boundaries will be exploited.
The town needs to encourage, not discourage, new business to locate in Randolph. The best way to do this is to level the playing field and stop giving business an excuse to locate elsewhere.
There has been some discussion about fairness - specifically, imposing a tax on businesses that do not get to vote on the tax being imposed. Well, as a general rule, a business will almost always oppose any new taxes. That is essentially what keeps lobbyists in business!
The same is true for individuals - most people do not want to pay any more taxes than necessary. That is understandable. That is also why strong leadership sometimes involves taking controversial positions that benefit the bigger picture.
Ironically, it is the intersection of 3 major roadways, a river and a railroad that was a benefit to the area and caused Randolph village to flourish and become a destination. The intersection is now what causes a regional bottleneck which forces area residents through the village to reach their destination. When combined with the police tax on the village, this is a burden, not a benefit.
Randolph is not entirely unique in suffering the effects of a bottleneck and traffic passing through a village that is no longer in demand. As the retail box stores have proliferated, the traffic they cause has resulted in many communities finally having no other choice but to build a bypass. This is obviously a drastic option that is not feasible for Randolph now, but it illustrates the problem and one way to deal with it.
The town has created this problem by maintaining the disparity between the village district and the rest of the town. It is up to the town to solve it.
Policy Implications
The obvious choice to resolve the issue is to expand police coverage to the entire town. The debate and division will continue to be an issue until and unless the town is united and the division over town vs. village is retired.
The choice we have to make is whether or not to support initiatives that will help to grow or shrink our population. If we do not fund local police coverage, businesses and residents may consider locating elsewhere before locating or expanding here. This will affect everyone in the greater Randolph area, not just the village residents.
If we have a stagnant or declining population, costs continue to increase, with greater taxes for property owners. If we cannot attract local business to expand our tax base, and support our population, we will continue to decline and services will become even more expensive, with even less coverage. If crime increases, businesses will have another reason to locate elsewhere.
There are numerous advantages to having a larger rather than smaller police force. There are fewer issues covering shifts, sick time, vacation time, staff vacancies, dismissals and unexpected departures. A larger force would allow Randolph to offer new recruits a career path in the department. In addition, Randolph could offer contract services to surrounding towns such as Braintree, Brookfield, and Bethel.
The drawback to a larger police force is the lack of available, qualified personnel across the state of Vermont and the country. Randolph would be competing for the same officers as the state police and sheriff’s office. Having a small department with fewer officers does not alleviate this problem, but instead makes it more difficult. Small departments suffer more when officers are absent for any reason, and it is harder to retain qualified personnel over the long term. Randolph would be better served if the department was a desirable place to work, with opportunities for career advancement.
Conclusion
I believe we all need to contribute to maintaining the safety and security in our area. The people of East Randolph, Braintree, Brookfield, Randolph Center, Randolph Town and Village all use the local schools, patronize local businesses, drive local roads and depend on local services. If you live here, you benefit from police coverage, even if you never call 911.
Police coverage is insurance for a safe community. The idea that living on a rural road should exempt anyone from paying their fair share for local police coverage is simply out-dated and not realistic in the 21st century. The data clearly shows a need for police coverage outside the village district.
There is one theme my research has made clear: all of the towns I have talked to in the past few weeks are having the same problem as Randolph - lack of coverage at an affordable cost, and lack of qualified personnel at a reasonable (or any) cost.
My conclusion is the Randolph town and village need to agree to expand the police coverage to the entire town, eliminate the disparity and disincentives created by the police district taxes, and level the playing field. If the town intends to pursue a regional approach to police coverage then expanding coverage to the entire town is the logical first step. Finally, if the town intends to build a new police station, that will not be feasible unless the entire town pays for it. The village residents cannot afford to fund a new police station, nor should they be expected to afford it.
I hope we can all agree to work together for a respectful dialogue and a reasonable solution. The residents of the Randolph area community are all depending on our cooperation for success and deserve nothing less.
Thank you.
Drew Terry
Randolph Village Resident
1. Guidelines for Starting and Operating a New Police Department by US DOJ.
Page 1: "This guide will help public officials and citizens decide whether to start their own police departments and—if they decide to go forward—to offer guidance on how to do it efficiently and effectively. The guide is relevant for rural, suburban, and urban communities of all sizes. It is not meant to be a manual for managing and operating all aspects of a police agency because the decisions and issues discussed require a great deal of additional consideration and work. But the guide can be a valuable tool to assist communities in thoughtfully considering the major issues involved in starting a police department."
From the article: "Towns have traditionally served as the basic unit of organized local government in Vermont since the first town (Bennington) was chartered in the future state in 1749. Given that town governments would not, or could not afford to, offer certain public services in densely populated areas, a new governmental unit—the incorporated village—was created in the early nineteenth century. The formation of incorporated villages continued throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, though by the 1930s village incorporations had become a rare event. By the mid-twentieth century the process of incorporating villages had ceased, but a new phase in the history of these villages was becoming more evident: mergers with towns."
3. Randolph, Vermont: Historical Sketches to which are Added Personal Reminiscences of the Author by Harry H. Cooley, 1978.
4. The Illustrated Historical Souvenir of Randolph, Vermont By Nickerson & Cox, 1895.
5. Early Photographs of Randolph, Vermont, 1855-1948 by Wes Herwig, 1985.
6. Potash and Pine: The Formative Years in Randolph History by Leigh Wright, 1977.
7. The History of Braintree, Vermont by Henry Royce Bass, 1883.
8. List of all Herald Articles used in this blog:
https://randolphpoliceservicesdebate.blogspot.com/2024/01/the-herald-randolph-police-committee.html