The Vermont State Police honored members of its ranks Friday at an annual awards ceremony in Montpelier.
In the well of the House, Vermont State Police Col. Matthew Birmingham, Public Safety Commissioner Keith Flynn and Lt. Gov. Phil Scott thanked the members of the statewide police force and congratulated them on their accomplishments.
Speaking to an audience of troopers and their family members, Flynn praised the state police for adopting bias-free policing tactics and for commitment to principles of “accountability and transparency.”
He said the agency is poised to become the first statewide police force in the country to implement the recommendations from the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.
During the ceremony, seven people and one dog were recognized for their actions in saving lives.
The ceremony also honored 18 Vermont State Police members who were promoted within the ranks.
Two people were recognized with the director’s award: Lt. Kraig LaPorte, who heads the major crimes unit, and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Christopher Destito, for his collaboration with the Vermont Drug Task Force to curb the state’s heroin epidemic.
Scott thanked the troopers for their service. “It’s a simple phrase, but it stands for so much,” Scott said.
