At about 4:30 this afternoon, a man called the Burlington Police Department to report that a relative who resides at 101 College Street had sent him a note relating that she was in great emotional distress. He worried that she might be in possession of a firearm. Police supervisors decided to conduct a welfare check based on these facts. Units from the police department responded to the location, set up a perimeter and called in its crisis negotiators as well as two mental health service providers from the Street Outreach Team. The officers evacuated nearby residents, obtained keys for the residence, and staged an array of shields and nonlethal devices at the scene. The fire department’s medical personnel were called and put on standby. Several attempts were then made to reach the victim by phone and knocking her window. There was no response.
After several minutes, officers peering into the apartment through its windows believed they saw an unconscious person on the floor and heard an animal in distress. One officer reported that the person had been seen moving slightly. The decision was then made to enter the apartment immediately under exigent circumstances. The officers confirmed that the unconscious woman was indeed the subject of the response. Based on her condition, she appeared to have been in this state for an extended time. She was removed to University of Vermont Medical Center for treatment. At the time of writing, she is expected to survive.
“This incident shows the situations our officers confront on an ongoing basis as part of serving the largest city in Vermont,” said Chief of Police Brandon del Pozo. “If it were not for their careful response, sound assessments and decisive actions, the fate of this victim would have been highly uncertain. We hope this is an opportunity for her to get access to the services that will help her in her time of crisis and assist in recovery.”
