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Burlington Police Department welcomes nine new hires, three promotions
Elizabeth Murray ;
A large crowd crammed into the Kevin P. Scully Community Room at the Burlington Police Department Friday to celebrate nine new hires and three promotions.
Chief Michael Schirling said he was excited to welcome the new officers into the almost 150-year-old organization. Acknowledging that getting a job in law enforcement in Vermont was not an easy task, Schirling congratulated each new hire for completing the "rigorous hiring process."
"This is where the challenge begins," Schirling told the new hires. "The challenge is to maintain the thought that you have now about what drew you to law enforcement set against challenges that we face day to day, and to really keep in mind as you traverse your career what you want to be remembered for. You have a unique opportunity to make a difference in a way that not many people have an opportunity to do."
Among those present at the ceremony were Mayor Miro Weinberger, State's Attorney T.J. Donovan, former Deputy Chief Andy Higbee and Burlington Police Commission Chairman Jerry O'Neil.
Weinberger said that the promotions and new hires are coming at a challenging time in the department's history, and that the officers will be on the front lines of major issues affecting the state — such as opiate addiction and mental health issues.
"I think the people of Burlington are very thankful for what this department does, and very much support you and understand how lucky and fortunate we are to have such a strong department," Weinberger said. "We will continue to be there with you in the days ahead."
Deputy Chief Bruce Bovat introduced the new hires before reading them the department's oath.
"As you can see in a brief nutshell of their lives, there's no way I could tell you everything that's great about them," Bovat said. "But you can see how they're going to add to the already amazing ranks that we have in this room. We're proud to have them."
Those hired by the department are David Murrish of Middlesbrough, England; Mark Beaudry of Concord, N.H.; Zheng Chang of Los Angeles, Calif.; Jessica Zaweski of Mattituck, N.Y.; Bradley Patnaude of South Burlington; Jeremy Hulshof of Middlebury; Gregory Short of Burlington; Darren Kennedy of Bolton; and Durwin Ellerman of Carlisle, Pa.
Schirling told the Burlington Free Press after the ceremony that the nine new employees increases the staff to 97 people. Full staff would be 100 people, Schirling said.
"I don't remember being a full staff in the last 15 years," Schirling said. "This is the closest in a while."
At the end of the ceremony, Schirling introduced current officers being promoted, including Lt. Jannine Wright to Deputy Chief, Sgt. Dennis Duffy to Lieutenant, and Detective Cpl. Chris Nadeau to Sargent.
Family members of those promoted pinned new badges on Wright, Duffy and Nadeau before Schirling led them in reciting the oath.
Contact Elizabeth Murray at 651-4835 or emurray@freepressmedia.com.