Burlington Police Department patrols are educating off-campus students and addressing quality of life and COVID-19 health-related incidents (including promoting social distancing and mask-wearing). UVM Police officers participate in joint patrols with Burlington Police Department when officers are available. Officers are asked to document whether they are witnessing Executive Order violations or other areas of concern.
The university receives violations data from the Burlington Police Department, which now include COVID-19 violations (the City of Burlington fine for the first offense is $100, which will increase to $250 and then up to $500), although the focus is on engagement and education.
Community members are always encouraged to contact the police regarding safety and quality of life incidents when they occur: 802-658-2704. Meeting an officer at the time the incident is occurring helps provide as much information as possible for a response and follow up to an incident. Community members may provide a signed statement of the incident the following day. Community members can also contact the following individuals:
- Contact the UVM Office of Student and Community Relations if it is believed that a UVM student is involved using the incident reporting form.
- Email Corporal Carolynne Erwin, BPD Community Affairs Officer, or phone her at 802-540-2260, about incidents of concern.
- Email Bill Ward at Burlington Code Enforcement. His office follows up with landlords and tenants when notified of COVID violations.
Information from City of Burlington Police Department violations and reports can be used to hold students accountable through the University’s Center for Student Conduct process, including quality of life and health and safety issues as referenced in the Green and Gold Promise. Adequate information related to an incident must be included (for example, in police reports or tickets) to ensure students’ due process in the Student Conduct system. Minimal information enables the Center for Student Conduct to send letters of warning and request a meeting with a student.
The Office of Student and Community Relations is proactively addressing off-campus behavior that impacts neighborhoods by sending letters to students and landlords of houses of concern identified through Burlington Police Department data and directly by from neighbors. Of the 25 letters sent this summer to tenants and landlords of addresses of concern, only two addresses had additional issues. Two students also wrote a letter of apology. If you have a concern with an off-campus address, please e-mail the Office of Student and Community Relations.