BRATTLEBORO — The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee (CPCC) exists to enhance communication between town citizens and the Brattleboro Police Department (BPD). The committee in its present form was established in 2009.
Toward that end, CPCC encourages folks to write to BPD with compliments, informational questions, and complaints. Such communication may be regarding overall policies of BPD or something relative to a personal experience. Such communications should be addressed to the BPD, 62 Black Mountain Rd., Brattleboro VT 05301.
In the case of a complaint, an official Citizen Complaint Report needs to be filled out and filed with BPD with a specific description of the situation referred to. Report forms are available at BPD, the town manager's office and online.
The report can be completed with the assistance of another person and in the comfort of one's own surroundings.
Although not required, the CPCC may be contacted for assistance as to procedures and options. This is best done by contacting the town manager's office; a request via phone call to 802-251-8151 will be forwarded to CPCC, a member of which will contact the person requesting assistance.
All received communications are reviewed by CPCC at a regular meeting, which is open to the public. However, names of those communicating with CPCC are not included in committee minutes. Brief descriptions of situations sometimes are.
CPCC is available for any help necessary in accomplishing this end. CPCC also receives and reviews BPD responses and is able to further interpret the official policies and procedures of BPD to citizen correspondents. CPCC ensures that a response has been made in all cases of informational questions and complaints.
These responses often follow a BPD internal investigation and may take some time; therefore, contact with CPCC is encouraged to obtain assurance that a communication is being properly handled.
For those citizens interested in the proceedings of CPCC, minutes of the meetings are available. (Visit brattleboro.org, then click on Serving the Community, then Boards and Committees, and then Other Town Boards and Committees. This sequence will bring up an alphabetical list, which includes Citizen Police Communications Committee.) Included are agendas and minutes from over the past several years, including current meetings.
Meetings of CPCC are warned in accordance with Vermont Open Meeting Law requirements. CPCC bylaws require that each meeting agenda include a public participation item. Citizens are welcome at meetings to address CPCC with procedural and/or informational questions regarding BPD.
All are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to understand the policies, procedures and questions regarding BPD. At many meetings, a member of BPD is present to provide firsthand information.
The current members of CPCC are working to revise the bylaws to improve timely responses to our citizens and possibly to increase the membership from five to seven members. If significant changes result, we will inform you of those changes.
Increased facilitation is a benefit to all in citizen communication with the Brattleboro Police Department.