Updated at 7:12 p.m.
Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling is stepping down from the post to take a job at the University of Vermont, Gov. Phil Scott’s office announced Tuesday afternoon.
Schirling will serve as UVM’s chief safety and compliance officer, according to a release from the University of Vermont issued about the same time as the governor’s statement. In that role, Schirling will oversee the university’s police services, emergency management, risk management and safety and privacy services.
“The UVM opportunity is just another opportunity to serve and, for better or for worse, that’s what I’ve chosen my whole career,” Schirling said Tuesday, calling it a “unique opportunity” with a “great organization.”
Schirling has been a member of the Scott administration since the governor took office in January 2017, when Scott appointed Schirling to serve as secretary of the state’s Agency of Commerce and Community Development.
In August 2019, Schirling was named commissioner of public safety.
“Mike has been an extraordinary member of my Cabinet, serving in two critical roles since day one of my Administration,” Scott said in the statement announcing Schirling’s departure.
Before joining the Scott administration, Schirling served for 26 years with the Burlington Police Department, including eight years as chief.
Schirling will leave his position as commissioner on June 18. Deputy Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison will serve as the department’s interim commissioner.
Vermont’s public safety commissioner oversees the state’s division of fire safety, emergency management, the forensic lab and Vermont State Police.
Joel Seligman, UVM’s chief communications officer, said Tuesday afternoon that Schirling was taking a position that opened up with the upcoming retirement of Gary Derr, the university’s vice president for operations and public safety.
“The title is different, but the responsibilities are largely the same,” Seligman said. “The previous title was a holdover from the previous presidential leadership and (UVM) President (Suresh) Garimella has updated the titles of several positions as new people have come in.”
Seligman said there was a nationwide search for the position and Schirling was among the applicants.
“Mike just really stood out as someone who could manage the complexities of a community like the university and walk in the door and be ready to go Day One,” Seligman said.
As public safety commissioner, Schirling drew a salary of $153,836. His new job pays $237,000 a year.
During his tenure, Schirling had to deal with staffing challenges among the ranks of the Vermont State Police as well as the difficulties of ensuring public safety during the pandemic.
As part of the state’s Covid-19 response team, Schirling was most involved in vaccine logistics, restart efforts, testing sites and working to coordinate across government and with community partners, according to the governor’s office.
“My proudest accomplishment is just being a small part of this state team responding to the Covid pandemic,” Schirling said Tuesday.
When asked about things he didn’t get done that he wished he did before moving on to the UVM job, Schirlng said he would have deferred moving to the university position for two years.
“That’s just not the way these jobs work,” he said. “So I can’t do it.”
Montpelier Police Chief Brian Peete described Schirling as a willing partner ready to offer support and resources when needed to his department. “He was always there,” Peete said Tuesday.
Peete said he viewed Schirling as a person who worked to try to find consensus to address problems.
“He was there during a very tumultuous time for law enforcement,” Peete said, “especially with what happened related to George Floyd, what happened and related to the insurrection on Jan. 6 and then trying to rebuild a level of trust and legitimacy with the entire state as law enforcement was wrestling with some pretty low morale.”
Schirling also found himself the target of groups pushing for more police reforms in Vermont’s legislature. He contended that some of the initiatives were moving too far, too fast — or were unnecessary due to safeguards already in place.
James Lyall, executive director of the ACLU of Vermont, singled Schirling out in an op-ed he wrote during the last legislative session titled, “Law enforcement leaders are failing Vermont.”
Lyall wrote that “anyone following this legislative session closely has seen police leaders like Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling oppose any substantive police reform measure on the table.”
Lyall, reached Tuesday afternoon, said he hoped the governor would appoint someone as the next public safety commissioner who was more open to reforms and “more willing to engage with communities most impacted by police misconduct and to acknowledge that Vermont has real problems in that area.”
Rep. Maxine Grad, D-Moretown and chair of the House Judiciary Committee, said Tuesday that she saw Schirling as focused on the “functionality of the systems” of law enforcement.
“He was very cognizant of the need to make policing more efficient,” she said.
Sarah Mearhoff contributed to this article.
Correction: An earlier version of this story misspelled Suresh Garimella’s surname.
