1/1/2021

Dear Brattleboro Select Board,

I will not feel comfortable closing out my small role in the Community Safety Review project without sharing my concluding thoughts for you to consider. I found it interesting in the 12/30/20 front page Brattleboro Reformer article “Report pushes sweeping safety measures” Chris Mays wrote, “A draft report was discussed at the meeting with no dissent on the findings and general agreement on the recommendations”. Chris Mays did not attend the majority of our meetings over the last few months, and certainly did not take into account our 12/21/20 and 12/23/20 meetings when I directly spoke to my dissent regarding some aspects of the recommendations, unanswered questions about the basis behind the findings supporting the recommendations, along with my thoughts about the overall community safety review process as it pertains to the lack of committee member involvement. The committee was told by the facilitators, we could discuss questions, concerns or dissent, but the findings from the listening sessions support the recommendations and therefore the report would not be altered in anyway unless there was dissent held by the majority of the committee. The committee was not given the opportunity to develop informed insight into the findings of the review needed to effectively consider how the proposed recommendations may or may not be aligned with the review.

In the 12/21/20 meeting, we were presented with one ambiguous data point without any clarifying information around it and then asked to share our thoughts. An hour into our two hour meeting and after some fruitless conversation, I vocalized needing more information in order to engage in any sort of productive discussion. We were then given a small amount of data from the police review. The summary report draft was not presented to us prior to our two hour meeting on 12/23/20. The facilitators pulled it up and offered us 10 minutes to review it before discussion. The 12/23/20 meeting was scheduled to be our last meeting to discuss recommendations. During the 12/23/20 meeting I directly spoke to the fact the report was already written without the committee having an opportunity to weigh in on the findings from the listening sessions or the police review, therefore I do not feel as though if I am asked, I can say I was a part of bringing these recommendations forward. By the time we reached the 12/28/20 committee meeting, the facilitators had already made it clear the recommendations would not be altered and the deadline to submit the report to the select board was only three days away. I had come to terms with the knowing the recommendations formulated by the facilitators would be represented in the report to the select board regardless of my viewpoint. It seemed redundant to repeat my dissent.

While I fully support and applaud the efforts of the CSRC facilitators along with the groups and individuals who pushed for this process to come into fruition; I do not believe all of the recommendations being presented in the report are grounded in a comprehensive review of Brattleboro’s safety needs. With the very limited time frame to complete the project, I do not think it was possible to accomplish such a task. My feeling throughout the process has been it has an air of bias to it which from my view is a direct contradiction to the agreed upon goal. The facilitators did not share with the committee any findings from the listening sessions or the Brattleboro Police Department review until they had already formed their recommendations. As a person with lived experience of policing as a survivor of intimate partner violence, offering myself in service to this project; I feel my experience was used solely as a public face for the project. I do not believe this was in anyway the intention of the facilitators or the select board. It is however an important consideration to take away from this project. Perhaps going forward should you choose to form some sort of committee with lived experience, applicants should also be expected to have qualifications deemed trustworthy of engaging in town business. 1/1/2021

As I have already outlined, I have not been given access to information needed to develop informed opinions around much of what will be presented to you in the final report drafted by Emily Megas- Russell and Shea Witzberger. The Brattleboro Select Board and the groups who advocated for this process called upon the community requesting people with lived experience of policing to volunteer our lived experience to the project. My experience does not fit neatly into the narrative the facilitators are presenting to the town in this report, for that I will not apologize.

I know what it is to be ostracized from my community, family and friends for experiencing harm in my intimate partner relationship, and even more so, for the choices I made while experiencing the harm. With the level of danger I and my children were faced with, along with the alienation from my community, seeking help from law enforcement was and continues to be the only viable option to seek safety. I have had experiences with the , the Brattleboro Police Department, and Claremont Probation and Parole which I believe are evidence of implicit bias towards survivors of intimate partner violence. Experiences of being dismissed, lied to, and what felt to me and my children to be public shaming in our community which significantly compounded the harm we experienced, and added to the struggle in our recovery process.

Along with my negative experiences with law enforcement, I have had many positive experiences. These positive experiences while I was actively seeking safety and while engaging in conversations with people within our community’s legal system; offering my experiences as a mechanism to highlight need for change, have proven to be the most pivotal experiences in my recovery. I have been received by our local law enforcement and members of the judicial system as a whole person, not just the sum of the intimate partner violence I have endured.

The facilitators of the community safety review project could not give me a satisfying explanation of their findings which indicate the Brattleboro Police Department has not demonstrated readiness to receive training, and integrate it to the level that would be required in order for it to be effective and validate the proposed 48% increase to the training budget. I recognize what we are asking is for a massive paradigm shift around systemic issues prevalent within our local community. The ask is predominantly aimed at the police department because police officers engage with people most impacted by these issues. Police officers have the potential to cause great harm to marginalized peoples; but I believe police officers also have the potential to be agents of great support as well. As I have vocalized in numerous committee meetings, we are in an unprecedented time. A time when we are all (not just law enforcement officers) faced with reevaluating our preexisting belief systems and cultural norms. The task ahead will require authentic commitment on the part of town, and Brattleboro PD leadership. It will also require Brattleboro police officers feeling supported and respected for their good work and service. It is simply poor employee management to expect employees to adjust to significant changes within their deeply embedded cultural norms, while offering no support or incentive to do so.

I will never forget the kindness I received from Springfield Probation and Parole Officer Joey Holmes, and Vermont State Police Trooper Max Trenosky. VSP Trooper John Waitekus offered me kindness while speaking truth to me during a time I could not recognize it for myself. From my perspective, Trooper Waitekus demonstrated advanced attunement to the complexities of domestic violence. It is my genuine recommendation, those three officers play a role in domestic violence training for other 1/1/2021 officers. The negative experiences with law enforcement I had following my interactions with Parole Officer Joey Holmes, Trooper Trenosky and Trooper Waitekus illustrated just how well they served me.

I met with Brattleboro PD Detective Colby Kerylow to report violations of my relief from abuse order. I shared with Detective Kerylow my fear of going to the police following experiences I had with the VSP. Detective Kerylow offered reassurance which eased my anxiety. His body language was warm and unintimidating. This was a stark difference in comparison to one particular interaction I had previously with a VSP officer when making a report. I walked out of the Brattleboro PD that day feeling heard, and supported. Dover Police Officer Samuel Morris will never fully understand just how significant our one interaction was in my recovery as a survivor of intimate partner violence. I shared a great deal with Officer Morris. His responses and reflections back to me served as a moment of healing and empowerment I cannot adequately put into words. Brattleboro PD Sargent Greg Eaton investigated a violation of my relief from abuse order, and he was also in the room when I addressed the Brattleboro PD. Sargent Eaton followed along with every word I spoke. His body language clearly indicated he was actively listening and respectfully valuing my story. Sargent Eaton’s ability to allow his professionalism as an officer to be complimented by his approachable and cordial demeanor is an asset to the Brattleboro PD in my opinion.

I would be remiss if I did not take this opportunity to mention the integral role in my recovery played by Windham County Deputy State’s Attorney Dana Nevins, Windham County State’s Attorney Victim’s advocate Kati Sell-Knapp, and Windham County Judge Katherine Hayes. I am deeply grateful for their tireless efforts made on behalf of victims of intimate partner violence. During a time when I was ready to step into my power as a survivor and found myself disempowered by police, Kati Sell-Knapp, Dana Nevins, and Judge Hayes uplifted my voice.

I have witnessed firsthand from the Brattleboro PD, a desire to continually evolve and improve in their service to the community. I have seen it in Chief Fitzgerald’s eyes as I shared with him the mistakes his department made in my case. I felt it when Chief Fitzgerald invited me in to address his officers. I felt it in Detective Josh Lynde’s and Captain Carignan’s eye contact and handshakes following my address. I felt it when I recently met with the Brattleboro PD officer who is responsible for mistakes made in my case. He met me with an inviting tone and a nervous smile. He listened and validated my experiences of harm caused by his mistakes. Although he could not give me an explanation as to what happened; I truly believe he did not have an explanation to offer. The mistakes stemmed from unconscious bias. I am confident he has learned from his mistakes and will go forward viewing intimate partner violence through an expanded lens.

I am in full support of the Brattleboro Police Department’s proposed 48% increase to the training budget. I believe in Chief Carignan’s ability to steer the department towards progressive changes needed within the department. And I believe in the department’s potential to truly integrate community driven models of service and accountability within their policing philosophies. I hope the town of Brattleboro will provide the Brattleboro PD with the tools and support needed to move policing in this community into a new and better direction.

Community Safety Review Committee Member

Kelsey Rice 1/1/2021