Police Department : Town of Hartford 

 

Administrative Services


The Administrative Services team administers the Police and Emergency Communications budgets, developing policy, procedures, and practices that align with modern, professional standards. Administrative investigations are performed to screen prospective applicants, identify misconduct, and improve overall performance. Staff is also instrumental in the research and implementation of major agency initiatives, including planning and monitoring of the law enforcement accreditation process; records and budget management; and the recruitment, selection, and training of department personnel.

Criminal Investigations Division


The Criminal Investigations Section is tasked with primary responsibility for the investigation of serious crimes occurring within in the Town of Hartford. While the first responding patrol officer will generally conduct the preliminary investigation of most crimes, specially trained investigators are on-call to assist patrol officers by supplying investigative guidance and input. Detectives will normally respond to the following offenses:

  • Homicides, suicides, or suspicious death not attended by a physician

  • Assaults or incidents involving serious bodily injury requiring hospitalization

  • Robberies

  • Criminal sexual assault and abuse

  • Abduction and unusual or critically missing persons

  • All cases of suspected child and/or elder abuse or neglect

  • Hate and bias motivated incidents

  • Acts of terrorism or terrorism related activity

Other cases that may be complicated, lengthy, or require serious investigations that, by their very nature, would be unduly hampered by the intervention of normal uniformed patrol duties or require specialized or intricate investigative skills will normally be assumed by an investigator assigned to the Criminal Investigations Section. 

Hartford Police Detectives also work collaboratively with other investigators from local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, as well as prosecutors with the Windsor County State’s Attorney’s Office, Vermont Attorney General’s Office, and the United States Attorney for Vermont in coordinating the investigation and successful prosecution of the most serious crimes and complex investigations. 

Windsor County Special Investigations Unit

Established under 24 V.S.A. § 1940, the Windsor County Special Investigations Unit (SIU) operates two Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) that are accredited by the National Children’s Alliance (NCA) in providing a coordinated, evidence-based response to children who have been abused. Hartford Police Investigators work in partnership with the Windsor County State’s Attorney’s Office, The Family Place in Norwich, Department for Children and Families, and WISE in the coordinated investigation and prosecution of incidents of:

  • Sexual violence

  • Child abuse and neglect

  • Missing and exploited children

  • Sexual violence and abuse of a vulnerable adult

  • Sex offender registry compliance

K-9 Team


The Hartford Police Department deploys two K9 teams, Investigator Eric Clifford and his K9 partner, Dozer along with Officer Michael Goslin and Atlas.

Atlas, a Belgian Malinois, and Officer Goslin joined HPD after the Montpelier Police Department had to reduce funding for the program.

When directed by law enforcement, the dogs are capable of conducting “sniffs” to locate hidden narcotics, illicit drugs, and evidence. A trained police K9 team is a law enforcement tool, performing the majority of their work with the K9’s nose — in the form of sniffs. The K9 team is assigned to the Criminal Investigations Division and is available, with the authorization of their supervisor, to assist all law enforcement agencies in the area. K9 teams handle police department assignments when not engaged in K9 activities.

All K9 teams have successfully completed specialized training by an instructor who is certified by the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council (VCJTC) or professional Police Canine Association before being certified for duty.

Crisis Intervention TEAM & POLICE SOCIAL WORKER


The Hartford Police Department is pleased to announce the successful completion of the One Mind Pledge, a commitment the department entered to improve our response to those affected by mental health issues. The pledge is part of an initiative started by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), a professional association representing law enforcement on relevant public safety matters, including providing training and technical assistance.

In completing the One Mind Pledge, the Hartford Police committed to a sustainable partnership with Health Care & Rehabilitative Services of Southeastern Vermont (HCRS) and other area human service providers to ensure ongoing dialogue in assisting those in crisis. Through the support of HCRS, the Police Department and our community have benefited from the daily assistance of an embedded Police Social Worker, who assisted in developing model policies for the department’s response to persons in crisis.

Beyond implementing enhanced policies and meeting state legal requirements, all members of the Police Department have received enhanced training in responding to persons experiencing a Mental Health Crisis, including one or more programs such as Mental Health First Aid, Team-Two developed by Vermont Care Partners, and CIT or Crisis Intervention Team. Assisted by HCRS, The Upper Valley Public Health Council, and the Lebanon NH Police Department, the Police Social Worker oversees a regular CIT training program for uniformed and non-uniformed police staff, with 88% of police and communications personnel having successfully completed the program by the end of 2020. Originally known as the “Memphis Model,” and later recommended by the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing, CIT is a collaborative, 40 hour program of instruction.

Responding to persons affected by mental health issues — particularly those in crisis — has become common for law enforcement nationwide, including the Town of Hartford. The core competencies required of One Mind Pledges (collaboration, improved policies, and specialized training) have assisted in better preparing the Hartford Police Department in meeting these challenges — although the greatest benefit is the open, continuing dialogue and collaboration with our medical, human, and social service partners in preventing our residents from reaching the point of crisis.

Our long-term commitment to improving our response to persons in crisis was recognized by the International Association of Chief of Police in 2019. The Hartford Police Department is one of just 499 nationwide to have met these objectives.

For more information on the One Mind Pledge, including pledge requirements and a list of agencies having pledged or completed their pledge, visit the IACP website here.

For more information about CIT, visit the CIT International website here.

If you are in crisis, or are concerned about someone else who may be, please call 911 or visit our FAQs page for additional resources.

Police Social Worker - Alecia Armstrong

Emergency Communications Center


The Hartford Police Department Emergency Communications Center (ECC) is one of Vermont’s six regional Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP), with communications specialists responsible for answering emergency (911) and non-emergency calls for public safety service in East Central Vermont, and during peak demand periods in support of other regional PSAP(s) under agreement with the Vermont Enhanced 911 Board.

Emergency communications specialists also provide around the clock radio, telephone, and dispatch services on behalf of police, fire, and paramedics (EMS) in Hartford, and under contract for ten neighboring communities. Rarely seen, but always heard, communications specialists are the first, first responder — performing call-taking and emergency medical, fire-rescue, and police communications support services to other first responders and our greater community.

Patrol division


The most visible part of our police department, the Patrol Section, provides the continuous delivery of community-oriented police services through uniformed preventative patrol, as well as non-emergency and emergency (911) response to calls for service, hazard mitigation, the investigation and reporting of criminal offenses, and enforcement of laws and ordinances. In most cases, the first responding patrol officer will conduct the preliminary investigation of most crimes, including collecting evidence and contacting investigative personnel as needed.

Patrol officers also work to promote the safe and efficient movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic within the town, through enforcement as well as public education initiatives focused on transportation safety tips and education on traffic laws for drivers and pedestrians alike. The Patrol Section works with highway safety officials and transportation engineers to recommend improvements to local highways, signs, signals, and roadway markings that promote the safe, efficient movement of traffic.

Traffic Complaints

The Patrol Commander oversees the department’s Traffic Management Program, which seeks to identify and reduce traffic collisions, repeated traffic violations known to cause crashes, and reduce community traffic complaints. Assisted by one of the patrol supervisors, individual officers are tasked with applying strategic enforcement — focusing enforcement and education efforts on those roadways identified as having high occurrences of crashes; highest instances of distracted driving, aggressive driving, and driving under the influence; or those areas that are the subject of resident complaints.

If you have noticed an area of traffic-related concern, please submit a Traffic Complaint so we can work to address it.

Bike Patrol


Bike Patrol is a specialized, adjunct responsibility performed by two patrol officers, Corporal Mitch Cable and Officer Jhon Angulo, in addition to their normal patrol duties. The Bicycle Patrol uses specially-equipped mountain-type bicycles to supplement vehicle patrol activities. Each Bike Patrol officer must complete the rigorous International Police Mountain Bike Association (IPMBA) Bicycle Patrol School before being permitted to join this special program. Bike Patrol officers increase police visibility, mobility, and community interaction throughout the town and during special events, such as the annual Quechee Balloon Festival.