The South Burlington Police Department has released a collection of body camera footage showing the officers’ perspective as they responded to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation on Dorset Street in March. The department created a public playlist on YouTube that encompasses 51 videos showing different officers’ perspectives on what happened as they responded to the scene of an ongoing ICE operation that included a pursuit and car crash.South Burlington Police and Vermont State Police said they were not made aware of immigration enforcement activity and only found out about what happened because of the crash investigation.In one video, Deputy Chief Sean Briscoe can be seen talking with his officers early on in the day, making sure they were all on the same page and that their job was solely to de-escalate.”I want to reiterate our mandate that we do not go hands-on with anyone that is not actively assaulting someone. If someone is just refusing to move, that is not our problem,” Briscoe said. A new letter from the South Burlington city manager said no South Burlington police officers have been found to have used excessive force in their efforts to step between protesters and federal agents. Their actions were also found to be in compliance with Vermont’s Fair and Impartial Policing Policy.That operation drew hundreds of protesters and eventually turned violent when federal agents deployed tear gas and flashbangs to clear a path away from the scene.Federal agents arrested three people at the home in their efforts to capture Daviy Daniel Corona-Sanchez, a Mexican national who was in the United States illegally. He was not located inside the home, according to federal officials.None of those people were on the arrest warrants immigration enforcement officers obtained; all three people were released within two weeks.The neighboring Burlington Police Department has so far received 121 complaints about alleged police misconduct following the protest. At least one officer from that department is under investigation.The letter from the South Burlington city manager detailed efforts to learn and improve operations for any future incidents. Those steps include increasing training for staff members and developing plans to increase local and state law enforcement presence at future incidents to help keep federal agents and protesters separate.Migrant Justice says this investigation is “incomplete” as not all the footage is actually there. Chief Breault references that in his report. He cites numerous moments where his officers reported low camera batteries. Some of those batteries, even dying completely.Rachel Elliot with Migrant Justice spent the day combing through the footage. They stand by the fact that the fair and impartial policing policy was violated by local police that day.”Obviously, there are some interactions, especially between law enforcement and immigration officers that we weren’t privy to,” Elliot said. “It was a good source of data. I’m glad they released it. I don’t think it was a complete or impartial investigation. I think there’s still a lot more work to do.”On Thursday, NBC5 also asked Breault for additional comment, but he referred to his report.The body camera footage and the chief’s report will be discussed at the next South Burlington City Council meeting on Monday.
The South Burlington Police Department has released a collection of body camera footage showing the officers’ perspective as they responded to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation on Dorset Street in March.
The department created a public playlist on YouTube that encompasses 51 videos showing different officers’ perspectives on what happened as they responded to the scene of an ongoing ICE operation that included a pursuit and car crash.
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South Burlington Police and Vermont State Police said they were not made aware of immigration enforcement activity and only found out about what happened because of the crash investigation.
In one video, Deputy Chief Sean Briscoe can be seen talking with his officers early on in the day, making sure they were all on the same page and that their job was solely to de-escalate.
“I want to reiterate our mandate that we do not go hands-on with anyone that is not actively assaulting someone. If someone is just refusing to move, that is not our problem,” Briscoe said.
A new letter from the South Burlington city manager said no South Burlington police officers have been found to have used excessive force in their efforts to step between protesters and federal agents. Their actions were also found to be in compliance with Vermont’s Fair and Impartial Policing Policy.
That operation drew hundreds of protesters and eventually turned violent when federal agents deployed tear gas and flashbangs to clear a path away from the scene.
Federal agents arrested three people at the home in their efforts to capture Daviy Daniel Corona-Sanchez, a Mexican national who was in the United States illegally. He was not located inside the home, according to federal officials.
None of those people were on the arrest warrants immigration enforcement officers obtained; all three people were released within two weeks.
The neighboring Burlington Police Department has so far received 121 complaints about alleged police misconduct following the protest. At least one officer from that department is under investigation.
The letter from the South Burlington city manager detailed efforts to learn and improve operations for any future incidents. Those steps include increasing training for staff members and developing plans to increase local and state law enforcement presence at future incidents to help keep federal agents and protesters separate.
Migrant Justice says this investigation is “incomplete” as not all the footage is actually there. Chief Breault references that in his report. He cites numerous moments where his officers reported low camera batteries. Some of those batteries, even dying completely.
Rachel Elliot with Migrant Justice spent the day combing through the footage. They stand by the fact that the fair and impartial policing policy was violated by local police that day.
“Obviously, there are some interactions, especially between law enforcement and immigration officers that we weren’t privy to,” Elliot said. “It was a good source of data. I’m glad they released it. I don’t think it was a complete or impartial investigation. I think there’s still a lot more work to do.”
On Thursday, NBC5 also asked Breault for additional comment, but he referred to his report.
The body camera footage and the chief’s report will be discussed at the next South Burlington City Council meeting on Monday.
