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Burlington Police get national awards for taking dangerous criminals off streets

By Michael Bielawski,


The Burlington Police have gotten national recognition for their work to get drug dealers and violent criminals off the streets. Highlights include dangerous undercover work to catch drug traffickers and getting those involved in shootings off the streets.



“This morning I had the pleasure of attending the US Attorney’s 2024 Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony and watching as members of the Burlington Police Department—Detective Sergeant Philip Tremblay, Sergeant Chase Vivori, and Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force Officer Durwin Ellerman—were honored for their outstanding casework and collaboration with our terrific federal partners,” BPD Chief Jon Murad said in a press release.


Federal partners include the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and Homeland Security Investigations.


“This is one of the best days of the year when we have the chance to recognize law enforcement officers like today’s awardees in the presence of their families,” U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest said.


Examples of awarded casework


Murad highlights some of their awarded work.


“I also want to express my gratitude to ATF Agents Sam Brown and Brian Wood, who won investigative achieved awards for taking Carl Martin off the streets,” he said.


Martin was involved in a 2018 shooting in Burlington. The U.S. Attorney’s Office highlights Martin’s history in a 2023 report, including a statement by ATF Special Agent James Ferguson.


“Carl Martin has proven to be a violent individual, committing multiple crimes over a lengthy period of time, using his firearm to solve disputes,” Ferguson said. “Thanks to the thorough investigation and tenacity of ATF Special Agents, with assistance from the Burlington Police Department, Vermont State Police, Drug Enforcement Administration, and the United States Marshals Service, Mr. Martin will now answer for his actions.”


Other casework includes the successful apprehension of drug traffickers of “the Philly dope” which is a deadly mix of fentanyl and Xylazine.


A 2023 release details drug trafficking from Philidelphia, including a two-year investigation involving 17 undercover purchases.


“The indictment returned by the federal grand jury alleges that Harris [Ronald Harris, aka Rizz] and others conspired to distribute fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine base between October 2021 and January 2023. According to court records, law enforcement officers began investigating the drug trafficking organization in October of 2021.”


U.S. Attorney Nikolas Kerest is quoted.


“This case represents a significant effort by many of our great law enforcement partners in Chittenden County. Thank you to all of our law enforcement partners who work bravely and tirelessly to address the significant public safety issue created by illegal drug trafficking,” Kerest said.


Going undercover is among the most stressful and dangerous parts of police work. The American Psychological Association writes, “Undercover work features isolation from colleagues and family, the necessity to adopt behaviors and false personal characteristics frequently opposite to the given officer’s beliefs and personality, and negative attention from members of the public and even from fellow officers while in the undercover role.”


The BPD continues to struggle since their defunding via attrition by about a third back in 2020. October’s chief’s report notes that they only have 66 officers, there were 97 as of the defunding. As of Oct. 15, there have been 24,274 incidents this year, down 2% from this point in 2023 but overall up 6% since 2019.


The author is a writer for the Vermont Daily Chronicle

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