Website Updates and March 5th's Cadet Meeting

Every other Thursday night the Brattleboro Police Cadets have a meeting. For last night's meeting, State's Attorney Tracy Shriver, Deputy State's Attorney Steve Brown, and Deputy State's Attorney Susan Kay were there to teach the cadets how a DUI Trial works. The SA's office did an excellent job in making a mock trial for the cadets to participate in. This mock trial was both very informative and very fun. Tracy Shriver played her natural role as the State's Attorney, Steve Brown played the Defense Attorney, and Susan Kay was the Judge. The cadets? Well they acted out the police officers, whose names might sound familiar. Such as Dave Starsky or Ponch. All this and Sergeant Witherbee as the Bailiff. All of this combined and an extremely well put together mock trial made for an informative and fun night. Thank you WCSA!

For the past few weeks the Brattleboro Police Department has had a new face around the building. He has been helping out with some of the tasks around the department to make the officers and detectives jobs, just a little bit easier any way he can. Intern Michael Cable was hired on to the Police Department temporarally through BUHS's Co-op program. The Co-op program is a work-study program that puts students into the area of their Career Center Expertise. Intern Cable took the WRCC's Law Enforcement class in the school year 2007-2008 which made him applicable for a Co-op. After some bumps and failures trying to get a co-op with the Sheriff's Department, Intern Cable came to the Bratt PD for some help. Now he is working in the Detective Division with Detective Erik Johnson and Detective Lieutenant Mike Carrier on multiple tasks.

If you walk into the Police Department, you'll see a computer monitor with pictures of all of Brattleboro Police's wanted. This powerpoint presentation was helped put together by Intern Cable and put into use by Detective Johnson, Lieutenant Carrier, and Officer Ottinger who mounted the computer monitor.

Another thing that has been updated is the Police Department's website. If you go into the "wanted" section at www.brattleboropolice.org you can view the updated wanted web site.

Also, the Brattleboro Police Cadet's web page was updated. You can view this page by visiting www.brattleboropolice.org, clicking on the "specialized units" link and then on the "cadets" link.

New Police Captain

Chief Wrinn:

I am pleased to announce the promotion of Lt. Michael “Gunny” Fitzgerald to the rank of Captain in the Brattleboro Police Department. Captain Fitzgerald has been with the Brattleboro Police Department since July 2000 after retiring from the United States Marine Corps with over 20 years of service.

Captain Fitzgerald brings with him years of leadership experience. Captain Fitzgerald most recently was the swing shift Lieutenant, supervising officers from both the evening and the night shift.

Captain Fitzgerald will be assuming responsibilities including supervision over the operations of the Patrol and Investigative Division within the Police Department, budget preparation and monitoring and act as the Department’s training officer.

New Brattleboro Police Chief

From: Barb Sondag, Town Manager

I am very pleased to announce that Eugene Wrinn has been appointed the Brattleboro Chief of Police. Chief Wrinn has served with the Brattleboro Police Department since 1987. Prior to his service in Brattleboro Chief Wrinn worked several years as a police officer in New Canaan, CT, and was a military police officer in the US Army for six years.

Chief Wrinn holds a Bachelors Degree in Computer Science and is a graduate of the FBI National Academy. Chief Wrinn received an enthusiastic endorsement from membership of the Brattleboro Police Union. In their letter of endorsement they wrote:

"Acting Chief Wrinn has been a dedicated employee of the town for decades. He has worked his way up the ranks and has been with the department during some of its greatest successes and most difficult struggles. Over the past year, our department has undergone great change. The department has endured internal and external strife and pressure more significant than ever before.During such a period, one would expect to see low morale, an exodus of employees, and a decrease in work performance. Under the leadership of Acting chief Wrinn we have experienced quite the opposite. Our department has seen an increase in skilled staff, higher morale, and an improved relationship with businesses, the public, and the town. Friction between management and labor is the lowest in recent memory despite the changes and difficult financial times for both the town and employees. Much of this is due to the skilled leadership of Acting Chief Wrinn.”

Chief Wrinn has served as Acting chief since August 2007. Over the past nine months Chief Wrinn has hired two new officers, reorganized the department giving more authority and responsibility to the Patrol Supervisors, and instituted a management training program for all supervisors. As Acting Chief, Wrinn has worked with other community members to address a variety of local issues. Prior to serving as Acting Chief, Captain Wrinn was responsible for the Detective division of the Brattleboro Police. Under his supervision the Department began forensic computer work which over the past several years the Brattleboro PD has been the basis for the arrests and convictions of many perpetrators of computer crimes – including sex crimes. Chief Wrinn and his wife Diane moved to Vermont in 1987 and have two children who are graduates of BUHS. While his children were growing up, Chief Wrinn served as assistant coach to the BUHS Lacrosse Team and a Scout Leader in Guilford. Together, he and his wife own Diane’s Hair Express on Canal Street."

Torch Run for Special Olympics

05/28/2008

Nine Brattleboro Police Officers participted in this year's Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics. This is an annual event that police officers throughout Vermont participate in to raise money for Special Olympics Vermont. The southeastern leg of the run began in Brattleboro at the police station. Brattleboro officers ran as far as Harlow's Sugar Shack in Putney, where they handed the torch off to the Vermont State Police.

Officers involved: Officer Frechette, Officer Witherbee, K9 Naja, Officer Ottinger, Lieutenant Evans, Officer Austen, Officer J. Godinho, Officer Belville, Officer Lynde and Officer DiMarino. Joining the Brattleboro officers was Lieutenant Faulkner from Hinsdale NH Police.

Brattleboro Police Cadets Visit Washington DC

On May 13th, 14th and 15th the Brattleboro Police Cadets traveled to Washington DC for Police Week.

On the 13th they met with Senator Patrick Leahy and received a tour of the capitol building.

They then participated in the annual candlelight vigil held at the National Peace Officer’s Memorial. The vigil is held every year to honor the police officers throughout the country who died in the line of duty.


They spent the 14th touring DC and learning about the history of the United States. Some of the locations they visited included Arlington National Cemetery, the National Archives, the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum, the National Peace Officer's Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial.

They also took time out of their busy schedule to do a little motivational PT around the reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial!

On the 15th they attended the services on the Capitol lawn for Peace Officer’s Memorial Day.



For more information on the Brattleboro Police Cadet program, contact Detective Erik Johnson.

Brattleboro PD Visits the Big Boy Toy Show

Every year the Brattleboro Police Department is invited to the Big Boy Toy Show in Brattleboro. This year Detective Carrier, and Officer Frechette presented a variety of different tools the Special Reaction Team utilizes on 05/10/08.

Also present was one of our newer officers, Officer James Godinho. Officer James Godinho was helping in raising funds for the IBPO (International Brotherhood of Police Officers).

Internet Safety Outreach

The Brattleboro Police Department, with the assistance of the Internet Crime Task Force, has taken a strong roll in educating youth and adults, in our community when it comes to Internet Safety. As of 2006 the Brattleboro Police Department has reached out and spoke to thousands of children, young adults, and parents in our community.

On 05/06/08 Detective Erik Johnson spoke to a group of 5th graders regarding this topic.

“The Internet it’s a tool that needs to be used properly. Its like a knife, its very helpful but it can cut you.” This is a quote of a 13-year-old female who ran away from home, for 3 weeks, with a 56-year-old convicted murderer. This female developed an online relationship with this man.

The Brattleboro Police Department has expanded their responsibilities to online Internet crimes and in educating our community on how to make the Internet safer for our children. We work in conjunction with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), who is also affiliated with National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the Boys and Girls Club of America. The ICAC branch in Vermont is based out of the Burlington Police Department.

ICAC Task Force statistics state over 30 million of our youth use the Internet. When it comes to teenagers who are targeted online for sexual purposes, 66% were female and 34% were male. 1 and 4 had an unwanted exposure to sexual explicit pictures, 1 and 5 received sexual solicitation or were approached, 1 in 17 were threatened or harassed, and 1 in 33 received an aggressive sexual solicitation.

What steps do we take to protect our children? The best advice I could give is to talk to them. Explain the dangers of the Internet, and LISTEN to what they have to say. They’re soft wares you can buy to filter out certain Internet activity, but with the availability of computers and the many places one can go to access the Internet, your child will find away to get online if they really want to. Some quick tips I suggest are:

- If you have a web cam monitor the use of it. One of the first things an online predator likes to see is either a photo of the child they are speaking with, or they ask if they can see them via a web cam.
- Keep the computer in a common area, the more your child sees you around the computer, the less of a chance they may be looking at something inappropriate.
- Set time limits, if your child is showing excessive use of the Internet, especially late at night there may be a problem.
- If your child is a victim of an online predator explain to them that it’s not their fault.
- Attend trainings on Internet Safety. The Brattleboro Police Department has given a number of trainings referencing Internet Safety, and will be hosting more in the up coming months.
- For more information you can e-mail the Brattleboro Police Department at bpd@sover.net or visit our website www.brattleboropolice.org for more online safety tips.
- Direct your children to the following websites to learn more about Internet Safety www.netsmartzkids.org/ and www.NetSmartz.org.
- Put together a group of adults and children, and invite the Brattleboro Police to come and speak them.

Some possible warning signs a child may exhibit, who uses the Internet:
- Child receives gifts, money, and/or packages that they can not explain.
- Child turns off or blocks the screen when you walk by.
- Child uses an online account that belongs to some one else.
- Child is deleting e-mails and Internet history.

The Internet is a wonderful tool when used appropriately, but like with a lot of things there is always a bad side. We need to remember when we plug into the Internet we are plugging into the World, and everything that is good and bad with it. We also need to be aware, not live in fear that these perpetrators who prey on children for either sexual purposes, for distribution of narcotics, or both live everywhere, including our own community. As long as we continue working together, practice common sense, and communicate with our children the people who prey on kids will have no chance in succeeding.

Written by Detective Erik Johnson