Title 20, Title 20: Internal Security and Public Safety

§ 2367. Statewide policy; electronic control devices; reporting (a) As used in this section: (1) “Electronic control device” means a device primarily designed to disrupt an individual’s central nervous system by means of deploying electrical energy sufficient to cause uncontrolle…

§ 2368. Standards for law enforcement use of force (a) Definitions. As used in this section: (1) “Chokehold” means the use of any maneuver on a person that employs a lateral vascular neck restraint, carotid restraint, or other action that applies any pressure to the throat, windp…

§ 2369. Statewide policy; required use of body camera policy (a)(1) On and after January 1, 2022, each law enforcement agency that authorizes its law enforcement officers to use body cameras shall adopt, follow, and enforce a model body camera policy established by the Council, a…

§ 2370. Record of case disposition Each law enforcement agency shall maintain a record of all final judgments and settlements paid by the law enforcement agency for court claims related to alleged violations of constitutional rights established under the Constitution of the State…

§ 2371. Statewide policy; Law Enforcement Officers’ Code of Conduct (a) Creation and modification of Code. The Council shall create, implement, and modify by rule a statewide policy known as the Law Enforcement Officers’ Code of Conduct or Code. This Code effectuates the principl…

§ 2372. Statewide model policy; use of sealed criminal history records by law enforcement agencies (a) As used in this section: (1) “Criminal history records” has the same meaning as in section 2056a of this title. (2) “Criminal justice purposes” has the same meaning as in sectio…

§ 2401. Definitions As used in this subchapter: (1) “Category A conduct” means: (A) a felony. (B) a misdemeanor that is committed while on duty and did not involve the legitimate performance of duty. (C) any of the following misdemeanors, if committed off duty: (i) simple assault…

§ 2402. Law enforcement agencies; duty to adopt an effective internal affairs program (a) Each law enforcement agency shall adopt an effective internal affairs program in order to manage complaints regarding the agency’s law enforcement officers. (b) The Council shall create an e…

§ 2403. Law enforcement agencies; duty to report (a)(1) The executive officer of a law enforcement agency or the chair of the agency’s civilian review board shall report to the Council within 10 business days if any of the following occur in regard to a law enforcement officer of…

§ 2404. Investigations (a) Agency investigations of Category A and B conduct. (1)(A) Each law enforcement agency shall conduct a valid investigation of any complaint alleging that a law enforcement officer employed by the agency committed Category A or Category B conduct. An agen…

§ 2405. Council sanction procedure Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, the Council shall conduct its proceedings in accordance with the Vermont Administrative Procedure Act. This includes the ability to summarily suspend the certification of a law enforcement officer…

§ 2406. Permitted Council sanctions (a) Generally. The Council may impose any of the following sanctions on a law enforcement officer’s certification upon its finding that a law enforcement officer committed unprofessional conduct: (1) written warning; (2) suspension, but to run …

§ 2407. Limitation on Council sanctions (a) Offenses of Category A and Category C conduct. After a valid investigation of Category A and Category C conduct made pursuant to section 2404 of this title concludes, the Council may impose a sanction for a first or subsequent offense o…

§ 2408. Invalid investigations Nothing in this subchapter shall prohibit the Council from causing a complaint to be investigated or taking disciplinary action on an officer’s certification if the Council determines that a law enforcement agency’s investigation of the officer’s co…

§ 2409. Accessibility and confidentiality (a) It is the purpose of this section both to protect the reputation of law enforcement officers from public disclosure of unwarranted complaints against them and to fulfill the public’s right to know of any action taken against a law enf…

§ 2411. Council rules The Council may adopt rules to implement the provisions of this subchapter. (Added 2017, No. 56, § 1, eff. July 1, 2018.)

§ 2481. Establishment; change of limits (a) Upon application in writing of 20 or more freeholders or voters of a proposed fire district, the selectboard, after a duly warned public hearing, may establish such proposed fire district and define its limits. Such application shall co…

§ 2482. Body corporate; first meeting The inhabitants of the district shall be a body corporate. The first meeting shall be called by the selectboard in the manner provided for warning fire district meetings. The selectboard chair or, in the chair’s absence, either of the others …

§ 2483. Annual and special meetings The annual fire district meeting shall be held on the second Monday in January, or at such other time as the district at any regular or special meeting may determine, and shall be warned by the clerk, or, in the clerk’s absence or neglect, by o…

§ 2484. Voters Persons residing within the limits of a fire district who are voters in town meeting shall be voters in fire district meeting.

§ 2485. Officers generally A fire district shall elect at its first meeting and at each annual meeting thereafter a clerk, a treasurer, and a collector of taxes. Such fire district may elect a chief engineer and such assistant engineers as are necessary, whether or not they are i…

§ 2486. Collector A fire district may elect the collector of town taxes, although he or she is not an inhabitant of the district, to be collector of fire district taxes. If he or she accepts the office, he or she shall have the powers and be subject to the duties imposed upon fir…

§ 2487. Clerk The clerk shall keep a record of the meetings, votes, and proceedings of such district for the inspection of the inhabitants thereof.

§ 2488. Board of tax abatement The board for the abatement of taxes of a fire district shall consist of the prudential committee, the clerk of the committee, the justices of the peace, and listers residing in the district. The board may abate taxes accruing to such municipality i…

§ 2489. Fire districts; two or more towns (a) Where the limits of a proposed fire district include two or more towns, or portions of two or more towns, irrespective of whether the towns are situated in different counties, the application set forth in section 2481 of this title sh…

§ 2541. Formation At an annual or special meeting, by a majority vote of those present and voting, towns may vote to form a fire district whose limits shall be the town limits, provided the warning for such meeting contains an article to that effect. (Amended 1971, No. 62, § 2, e…

§ 2542. Powers generally A town functioning as a fire district under this chapter shall have all the powers, so far as the same may be applicable, now given to fire districts by sections 2601-2607 and 2671-2675 of this title.

§ 2543. Board of fire commissioners When a town has so voted, the selectboard shall constitute a board of fire commissioners and may purchase all necessary and proper apparatus for the prevention and extinguishment of fires.

§ 2544. Employees The selectboard may appoint a chief engineer for such district and all other necessary firefighters and employees.

§ 2545. Expenditures All expenditures under sections 2541-2544 of this title shall be paid out of the general fund of the town unless the town by its vote shall otherwise direct.

§ 2601. Generally A fire district may vote to adopt the town manager system in compliance with 24 V.S.A. chapter 37. It may vote a tax upon the taxable estate for the protection of property in the district from damage by fire; for the acquisition, construction, and maintenance of…

§ 2602. Matters subject to regulation by bylaws A fire district at its meetings may regulate by bylaws the manufacture and safekeeping of ashes, gunpowder, and combustibles, and the preservation of buildings from fire by precautionary measures and by inspection.

§ 2603. Sprinkling and oiling streets If it so votes at its annual meeting, a fire district may empower its prudential committee to cause the streets of such district to be sprinkled or oiled to the extent deemed necessary by the committee.

§ 2604. Preservation of property In the name of the district, the prudential committee may make contracts and expenditures for the preservation of property in the district from damage by fire as they deem necessary and draw orders on the treasury for that purpose. However, the co…

§ 2605. Purchase of property A fire district, through its prudential committee, may purchase and hold, in addition to the apparatus for extinguishing fires, such real and personal estate as is necessary for the preservation of the fire apparatus. (Amended 1967, No. 17.)

§ 2606. Eminent domain When a fire district decides to erect a building for the preservation of its fire apparatus and the location of land for the building is determined, if the owner of the land refuses to convey the land to the district at a price that the district deems reaso…

§ 2607. Actions and claims The committee may commence and prosecute actions in the name of the district, defend and adjust actions commenced against it, and settle claims in favor of and against the district.

§ 2671. Duties generally The chief engineer, or, in his or her absence, the assistants in the order of their rank, under the supervision of the prudential committee, shall have charge of the apparatus for the prevention and extinguishment of fires, and shall keep the same in serv…

§ 2672. Enforcement of bylaws; alteration and repair of fireplaces, furnaces, and stoves The chief engineer may carry into effect any bylaw or rule of the district and may direct alterations in the position and repairs of fireplaces, furnaces, stoves, and other things from which …

§ 2673. Powers and duties during hazardous chemical or substance incident, fires; threat of fires or explosions (a) The chief engineer, or in the chief’s absence, the assistant highest in rank present at a hazardous chemical or substance incident or fire, shall have charge of the…

§ 2674. Assistance outside district When a fire occurs in a fire district or town and application for assistance is made to an officer or inhabitant of another organized fire district by an officer or inhabitant of such district or town, if in his or her judgment assistance shoul…

§ 2675. Penalties for disobedience of order or bylaw A person who refuses to obey a lawful order or direction of an engineer or the official highest in rank present at a fire or other emergency or disobeys a bylaw of the district shall be fined not more than $250.00. (Amended 196…

§ 2676. Definition As used in this chapter: (1) “Rental housing” means: (A) a “premises” as defined in 9 V.S.A. § 4451 that is subject to 9 V.S.A. chapter 137 (residential rental agreements); and (B) a “short-term rental” subject to 18 V.S.A. chapter 85, subchapter 7. (2) “Short-…

§ 2677. Rental housing; rules; inspections; penalty (a) Rules. The Commissioner of Public Safety may adopt rules to prescribe standards for the health, safety, sanitation, and fitness for habitation of rental housing that the Commissioner determines are necessary to protect the p…

§ 2678. Short-term rentals; health and safety disclosure (a) The Department of Public Safety’s Division of Fire Safety shall prepare concise guidance on the rules governing health, safety, sanitation, and fitness for habitation of short-term rentals in this State and provide the …

§ 2681. Commissioner of Public Safety as Fire Marshal; deputy and assistants; HAZMAT emergency operation team (a) The Commissioner of Public Safety shall be ex officio Fire Marshal. The Commissioner shall annually by March 15 submit to the Governor a detailed report. A copy of th…