A former Springfield police officer’s law enforcement certification was revoked Thursday by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council based on two instances of professional misconduct.
The council voted unanimously to permanently decertify Anthony Moriglioni, according to a press release from the council. The council also made note of a previous “first offense” in Moriglioni’s record, bringing the number of misconduct cases to three.
“Moriglioni resigned from the Springfield Police Department in January of 2022 and is no longer working in law enforcement,” the council said in its press release. He cannot apply for recertification, and the decertification is reported to a national index, according to the release.
Thursday’s action marked the second time in two months that the council has decertified a Vermont police officer. In September, the council revoked the certification of a former Williston officer who a prosecutor said had shown a “clear pattern of profiling and bias.”
A stipulation and consent order signed by Moriglioni and members of the council outlines two instances of “Category B” misconduct by Moriglioni. Category B refers to “gross professional misconduct amounting to actions on duty or under authority of the State, or both,” that involve willful violation of state policy, local agency policy, or the criminal justice council’s policies.
Moriglioni — who worked for the Springfield Police Department for 20 years, according to his Facebook account — could not be reached for comment by phone or email Thursday.
According to the order, Moriglioni was involved in a use-of-force incident during a traffic stop Oct. 6, 2018, in Springfield. After asking the driver to exit the vehicle for a search, he and another officer noticed that the driver had something in his mouth.
When the driver refused to fully open his mouth, “Officer Moriglioni then grabbed (the driver’s) throat with his right hand and placed his left hand behind (the driver’s) neck,” the order said. “Officer Moriglioni stated that ‘I’m going (to) squeeze your throat so you can’t swallow.’ While using harsh and profane language, Officer Moriglioni pressed down on (the driver’s) throat, applying pressure.”
Moriglioni continued to squeeze the driver’s throat for another 25 seconds, according to the order, before the driver spit out a small plastic bag and was placed under arrest.
The council found that Moriglioni’s actions constituted “gross professional misconduct” and “substantial deviations” from the Springfield Police Department’s policies, including those governing use of force.
In a separate incident outlined in the order, on April 3, 2020, Moriglioni chased down a motorist for driving 65 mph in a 50 mph zone, accelerating to 109 mph in the process without turning on his cruiser’s siren. After eventually pulling the driver over with the help of another officer, Moriglioni began to chastise the driver using profane language. He also discussed the details of the incident with bystanders, according to the order.
The incident constituted violations of Springfield Police Department policies, according to the order. Those policies included rules governing when to engage in a pursuit, when to activate a vehicle’s “emergency warning devices,” cruel treatment and confidentiality.
The two instances of misconduct appear to follow a previous “first offense,” which is noted but not detailed in the consent order.
According to Christopher Brickell, the council’s deputy director and a former Brandon police chief, the officer and respective agency are notified of a first Category B misconduct finding, and the Vermont Police Academy keeps a record of the offense. Those findings are not available to the public.