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Mayor Miro Weinberger Responds to Burlington Police Chief Michael Schirling's Retirement Announcement

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 17, 2015
Contact:  Mike Kanarick
                 802.735.7962

Mayor Miro Weinberger Responds to Burlington Police Chief Michael Schirling’s Retirement Announcement

Burlington, VT – Mayor Miro Weinberger today responded to the retirement announcement of Burlington Police Chief Michael Schirling, in which he informed the Mayor of his plans to retire on June 30, 2015.  Schirling has served the City of Burlington through his work at the Burlington Police Department for more than 25 years, including his seven years of service as Chief of Police beginning in February 2008. 

“Michael Schirling has been one of the great Chiefs of the proud, 150-year-old Burlington Police Department,” said Mayor Weinberger.  “Chief Schirling joined BPD as an Auxiliary Police Officer while still in college and worked his way up the ranks, showing great energy, innovation, and compassion throughout his 25 years.  As Chief, he modernized the Department, deepened its community ties, and confronted squarely growing social challenges.  It has been an honor to serve with Chief Schirling, and I wish him much success and happiness with his future plans.”

Schirling began at the Department in 1989, first serving our City as an Auxiliary Police Officer while attending school full-time at the University of Vermont.  During his many years at BPD, Schirling served as a Patrol Officer, Detective, Investigator at the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations (CUSI), Director of CUSI, Co-founder and Commander of the VT Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, Patrol Lieutenant in the City’s Old North End Policing District, Administrative Lieutenant, and Deputy Chief.  Additionally, he has been an instructor in a variety of police disciplines, including sexual assault investigation, interviewing, computer and Internet investigations, computer forensics, and criminal law.  During his tenure as Chief of Police, Schirling completed a City-wide reassessment of community policing strategy, crafted a number of recruitment and retention strategies to bolster staffing, designed and implemented an innovative computer aided dispatch and records management system, implemented online crime reporting, created the Community Police Academy, regularly hosted community forums and discussions, began an annual Community Barbecue and Open House, and instituted a Coffee with the Chief series.  Also of note are a host of local and national awards conveyed to the Department over the last seven years.

Mayor Weinberger and Chief Schirling met this afternoon with BPD officers and civilian staff to inform them of the Chief’s retirement plans.  During that meeting, Mayor Weinberger shared his commitment to assemble a search committee composed of individuals representing the diversity of our City to help him identify and appoint the best qualified candidate to lead the Burlington Police Department forward and ensured the BPD team of a smooth transition.

*Please see the following attachments:

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Press Release Date: 
03/17/2015
City Department: 
Mayor's Office