Vermont

Vermont police are using drones more than ever. Here's what that means

Published

1 year ago

November 20, 2024

Vermont police are using drones more than ever. Here's what that means

In September, an airplane crashed in rural Addison County, killing four people.

Middlebury police were first on the scene, followed by the Addison County Sheriff’s Department and Vermont State Police. Officers found the crash site using a thermal drone.

Just one year ago, that would not have been the case.

Middlebury’s drone program only launched this year, and the town’s select board voted unanimously to authorize the purchase of that thermal drone in June.

Middlebury is no outlier. Burlington and Milton police have their own drones. And since VSP launched its drone program in 2019, the use of unmanned aircraft in policing has increased dramatically in Vermont, just as it has around the U.S. at large.

Catherine Crump — a University of California, Berkeley clinical law professor who specializes in privacy and surveillance — says that’s because drone technology has become more sophisticated in recent years, and the public’s concern over crime has risen.

“Concern, by the way, even though crime rates nationally are going down. But nonetheless, drones and other surveillance technology generally are thought to be a potential answer to this,” Crump said. “So yeah, it’s definitely part of a national trend.”

So, how are Vermont police actually using drones?

In 2019, VSP reported using them just once, to check out properties former Vice President Mike Pence stayed at during a vacation in Hubbardton. As the drone program has grown, uses more often reflect everyday police work.

Vermont State Police

Courtesy

Sgt. Matthew Sweitzer

“We started I think, with around 13 drone operators, and probably about 11 aircraft. And our main focus then was crash reconstruction,” said VSP Sgt. Matthew Sweitzer, who helped create VSP’s drone program. “So our serious injury and fatal crashes on the highway, and then search-and-rescue missions.”

Fast forward to last year, when VSP reported using drones 159 times, with more than three-quarters of those uses concerning criminal investigations (though that data is incomplete). The agency now has 21 operators spread across Vermont.

“We’re constantly testing and evaluating or researching different options just to stay relevant in our mission space and stay up to date on the equipment and the technology,” Sweitzer said.

Drones come in myriad shapes and sizes and accordingly have several uses. Beyond crash analysis and search and rescue, drones photograph crime scenes and ongoing fires. In active shooter situations, they can help assess safety risks for officers, and drones equipped with two-way communication have been used in crisis negotiation. They’re also capable of dropping things like medical supplies or heated blankets.

Right now, when municipalities need to borrow a drone, they call VSP. But Middlebury Officer Ethan Jones said that the approval process is opaque — and sometimes local police just have to wait.

“We just have dispatch kind of work on coordinating that with VSP. And sometime later, we’re told whether or not there’s a resource,” he said.

Sharing helps towns use the latest drone technology without having to buy it outright, but that “sometime later” can be hours. And that’s not ideal when each second is critical.

Take, for example, this spring, when an older Middlebury resident with late-stage dementia went out for his regular walk. When he was gone longer than usual, staff at the care facility where he lives called the police. Jones and a host of other law enforcement and volunteers took action.

Officer Ethan Jones chats with Vermont Public's Jenn Jarecki. — Officer Ethan Jones chats with Vermont Public’s Jenn Jarecki.

Jones pinged the man’s cellphone, which led him to an open field not far from the care facility. Police dogs ultimately picked up the man’s scent just as he stood upright in the field.

Middlebury police actually had a drone in the sky — just not the advanced thermal model the department eventually bought this summer.

“He was right below my non-thermal drone the entire time,” Jones said. “So that was kind of a lesson learned for us. Like, had we had a thermal drone, what resources could we have saved by not having to call out for other people?”

That line of reasoning spoke to Middlebury Select Board member Dan Brown as he mulled over whether his police department should have its own thermal drone.

“I think the drone is the best force multiplier that you could get out there,” he said. “It certainly reduces man hours, or it adds to man hours by being a machine. It has the capabilities of doing things officers can’t.”

And that doesn’t just apply to policing. Earlier this year, Middlebury cops used their drone in support of the town’s fire department. And public works wants to use it for damage assessments.

If community members in Middlebury were worried about the town buying a thermal drone, it wasn’t reflected in the public testimony of select board minutes when the idea was considered.

“I have heard no pushback from any constituents, and we were concerned about that,” Brown said.

Still, not everyone is enthused about drones becoming more ubiquitous.

Lia Ernst, legal director at the ACLU of Vermont, agrees there are benefits to drone use.

“For example, for search and rescue, it both increases the likelihood that the individual will be found, and it poses less of a risk to the safety of the people doing the searching.” she said. “You know, that’s a win-win.”

But she said that comes with a big caveat.

“Again, all of this is assuming that the drone is being used consistent with the provisions of the Privacy Bill. You know, those strike us as beneficial to the public at large and minimizing risks for individuals otherwise tasked with assessing these sorts of scenes,” Ernst said.

The privacy bill is a 2016 state law that puts guardrails around law enforcement’s use of drones.

Lia Ernst, legal director at the ACLU of Vermont.

“What the Legislature was seeking to do here was allow law enforcement to use this technology in ways that further public safety. You know, to check out flood damage, to do a search-and-rescue operation. But to really limit when and how law enforcement can use it for investigation of crime,” Ernst said.

The privacy law states drones cannot be equipped with weapons. Police must have warrants to use drones in criminal investigations. Under most circumstances, facial recognition technology and biometric data collection are prohibited. And police aren’t allowed to use drones to collect data on protesters.

Ernst said those restrictions on drones matter, given their capabilities and reach.

“If you’re on the fourth floor of a building with your window open enjoying the breeze, you would not think that there would be a listening device right outside your window. So drones … enhance the degree to which these concerns really come to the fore because of the fact that they can be basically anywhere — and oftentimes, entirely undetected,” Ernst said.

Vermont law also requires police and sheriff’s departments to report each time they use a drone, and why.

VSP compiles that data for an annual report that goes to the Legislature. But Sweitzer, an officer in charge of the state’s drone program, said there aren’t safeguards in place to ensure local police flag every incident of drone use.

“I think there’s even like a little disclaimer on the report that states that, ‘This is only the information that the Department of Public Safety has received,’” he said.

For example, in 2020, VSP did not file its drone report. When asked why, a VSP spokesperson said “due to circumstances including the response to the ongoing pandemic, no UAS report was completed during 2020.”

Lia Ernst with the ACLU said that’s an issue.

“That, to me, raises real questions about the efficacy of legislative oversight, and the degree to which the legislators who order these reports actually follow up with them and do anything with them,” she said.

Based on early reporting, this year law enforcement is on track to meet, and potentially surpass, drone use from last year. And as more departments secure their own devices, drone usage is only expected to rise.

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Vermont

19 Vermont school budgets fail as education leaders debate need for reform

Published

3 hours ago

March 5, 2026

Press Room

19 Vermont school budgets fail as education leaders debate need for reform

MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – Most Vermont school budgets passed Tuesday, but 19 districts and supervisory unions saw their spending plans rejected — an uptick from the nine that failed in 2025, though well below the 29 that failed in 2024.

Some education leaders say the results show communities are largely supportive of their schools.

“We’re starting to kind of equalize out again towards the normal trend of passage of school budgets each year,” said Chelsea Meyers of the Vermont Superintendents Association.

Sue Ceglowski of the Vermont School Boards Association said the results send a clear message. “Vermont taxpayers support Vermont’s public schools,” she said.

Meyers said the results also raise questions about the scope of education reform being considered in Montpelier. “If we are going to reform the system, it might not require sweeping broad changes as are being considered right now, but a more concise approach to consider that inequity,” she said.

But in districts where budgets failed, officials say structural changes are still needed. In Barre, where the budget failed, Barre Unified Union School District Board Chair Michael Boutin said the Legislature must, at a minimum, create a new funding formula. “We have to have that in order to avoid the huge increases and decreases — the huge increases that we’ve seen in the last couple years,” Boutin said.

He said the rise in school budgets is separate from why property owners are seeing sharp tax increases. The average state increase in school budgets is 4%, but the average property tax increase is 10%, driven by cost factors including health care. “There’s a complete disconnect, and that’s a product of the terrible system that we have in Vermont with our funding formula,” Boutin said.

Ceglowski says the state should address health care costs before moving forward with rapid education policy changes. “Addressing the rapid rise in the cost of school employees’ health benefits by ensuring a fair and balanced statewide bargaining process for those benefits,” she said.

The 19 districts that did not pass their budgets will need to draft new spending plans to present to voters, which often requires cuts. Twelve school districts are scheduled to vote at a later date.

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Vermont

6 of the Quirkiest Towns in Vermont

Published

15 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Vermont is, for many visitors, the postcard-perfect New England state. A part of the United States since 1791, the first to join the Union after the Thirteen Original Colonies, Vermont has many unique, and sometimes quirky, features. The place has attracted artists and other creative geniuses, some of them decidedly eccentric, from its earliest days. The natural parts of Vermont, like the famous Lake Champlain, offer unusual points of interest for visitors and locals alike. With a state as rich in traveling attractions, it should be little wonder that some of them come with a quirk or two.

Montpelier

Summer Farmers Market in Montpelier, Vermont. Editorial credit: Phill Truckle / Shutterstock.com

Montpelier, while being Vermont’s charming capital, is the tiniest among all US state capitals with just around 8,000 residents. For comparison, the second-smallest, Pierre in South Dakota, has a population of about 14,000. Established in 1787, this historic town warmly welcomes visitors with a variety of landmarks, including the Vermont History Museum and the sprawling 200-acre Hubbard Park. The State House is also open to the public for tours. Just a short drive west, less than an hour away, lies Lake Champlain, one of the Northeast’s most beloved watersides.

The town’s name pays homage to Montpellier, a beautiful city in southern France. This naming reflected the high regard for France at the time, especially for their support during the US War of Independence. Interestingly, Montpelier has experienced its share of flooding, with significant damage occurring in the years 1927, 1992, and most recently in 2023.

Elmore

Elmore, a charming small town in Lamoille County with fewer than 900 residents, is a favorite spot for autumn leaf-peepers. Located north of Montpelier, this peaceful town has its own unique charm, including several local landmarks sharing the name ‘Elmore,’ which adds to its character. It’s important to note that Elmore town is separate from East Elmore. To the west, Elmore Mountain overlooks the area, while Elmore State Park lies just north of the town itself. Enjoying waterside beauty, Elmore Lake is often listed among Vermont’s most picturesque lakes, with its waters flowing into the Lamoille River through Elmore Pond Brook. Like Montpelier, Elmore is situated east of Lake Champlain. For those seeking a more bustling scene or a change of pace, the vibrant city of Burlington, just an hour’s drive west, makes for a perfect day trip or weekend getaway.

Stowe

Stowe, with a lively population of 5,300, is Vermont’s top spot for adrenaline seekers and the eccentrics among us, earning its reputation as the state’s premier ski and snowboard destination. The Stowe Mountain Resort proudly calls itself the “ski capital of the east”—that’s the eastern United States. Nestled near the breathtaking Mount Mansfield, Stowe offers more than just winter fun; warmer months bring plenty of activities like hiking and mountain biking in the beautiful Cady Hill Forest.

The town also has a rich history, being the home of Jake Burton Carpenter (1954-2019), the visionary behind Burton Snowboards and a trailblazer in making snowboarding an international sport. While some might have called him eccentric when he launched his company in 1977, today he’s celebrated as a true pioneer whose legacy keeps inspiring young snow sports enthusiasts, like those at Mount Mansfield Winter Academy, a special school dedicated to nurturing the next generation of champions.

Manchester

Manchester, a town with 4,500 residents located in southwest Vermont, is popular among art and architecture enthusiasts. It features Hildene, the estate of Abraham Lincoln’s son Robert, which boasts an impressive Georgian Revival house and grounds. The town’s American Museum of Fly Fishing showcases numerous rods, flies, and related gear, attracting many superstitious anglers. Manchester is also home to Orvis, a renowned fishing and clothing company. The Southern Vermont Arts Center hosts exhibitions, and includes a sculpture garden and performance space. Nature lovers should visit Mount Equinox, west of town, or explore the Green Mountain National Forest to the south.

Eccentric fact: Jonathan Goldsmith, known for portraying “The World’s Most Interesting Man” in Dos Equis commercials, resides in Manchester. Stay quirky, my friends.

Brattleboro

Brattleboro, with a population of 12,100, sits along the Connecticut River and features a variety of attractions and oddities. Located just west of New Hampshire—in which the Connecticut River forms the border—and just north of Massachusetts, the town is an ideal midpoint for exploring the wider New England region. Outdoor enthusiasts will appreciate Fort Dummer State Park, welcoming hikers, bikers, and campers alike. Among the more renowned eccentric figures in history, British writer Rudyard Kipling moved to Brattleboro after marrying a Vermont woman in 1892. Their home, Naulakha, references his birth and childhood in India. Kipling believed that Brattleboro’s conservative small-town culture created an

Woodstock

Woodstock, a town with 3,000 residents located in upstate New York, is separate from the famous 1969 cultural event. This southeastern town attracts architecture enthusiasts, particularly for the First Congregational Church, built in 1807 and featuring a bell cast by American revolutionary Paul Revere, and the Norman Williams Public Library, completed in 1884. For outdoor activities, visitors can walk in Woodstock Town Forest, located south of the town, or enjoy panoramic views from the Marsh Billings Rockefeller National Historical Park, the only part of the US National Park system in Vermont besides the Appalachian Trail. Recently, Woodstock has modernized its infrastructure with digital technology, launching the “Wireless Woodstock” initiative in 2011, which provides free Wi-Fi across the entire town. It’s not quirky; it’s just cool.

Vermont’s Quirky Small Towns May Also Be Its Best

These small Vermont towns show the state’s sometimes quirky, but never boring character. Architecture fans will find unusual, beautiful examples state-wide. Montpelier is an oddly pint-sized capital with heavyweight history. Brattleboro has long attracted strange, sometimes brilliant types, whether foreign or domestic. Manchester is interesting enough for the World’s Most Interesting Man. And with abundant natural parks, the Green Mountains, and the majesty of Lake Elmore and Lake Champlain, the quirks of Vermont’s best features should attract even the most straight-laced visitors.

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Vermont

Vermont postal worker allegedly threw away mail she was supposed to deliver for months

Published

1 day ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Vermont postal worker allegedly threw away mail she was supposed to deliver for months

Crime

During a search of a dumpster where the worker allegedly discarded the mail, police found several packages and holiday cards.

A Vermont postal worker was cited and suspended for allegedly throwing away mail that was supposed to be delivered to other people, according to police.

Natasha Morisseau, 34, of North Troy, was cited on nine counts of petty larceny and five counts of unlawful mischief, Vermont State Police said in a statement. She works as a mail carrier for the town’s United States Postal Service (USPS) office.

Officers were first alerted to the discarded mail on the afternoon of Jan. 23, according to police. Upon finding the mail in a dumpster on Elm Street in North Troy, they determined that none of it was for that address.

Police identified Morisseau as a person of interest and learned that she was a postal employee. They confirmed that she had regularly been throwing away a small amount of mail under her care since at least October 2025, according to the statement.

After searching the dumpster and Morisseau’s mail vehicle, officers found opened and unopened packages, along with several holiday cards, one of which contained money. Morisseau was later cited Feb. 14 and is due to appear March 17 in Vermont Superior Court, police said.

Since Jan. 23, Morisseau has been suspended by USPS, and all recovered mail has been given back to them for delivery, according to the statement. The case has been forwarded to the USPS’ Inspector General for further review.