Matthew Romei is no longer chief of Vermont’s Capitol Police Department.
Romei confirmed his status in an interview Wednesday with VTDigger, adding, “There’s still some negotiations and such going on.”
”I’ve enjoyed the hell out of the last six years,” Romei said, praising his former staff and the improvements to Statehouse security he said they achieved. “But there’s a whole lot I won’t miss about working there.”
According to Romei, Dale Manning, a sergeant in the department, is serving as acting chief.
The Capitol Police Department provides police services at the Vermont Statehouse. Seven officers serve in the department, according to its online staff directory.
Romei would not provide details about the nature of his departure, including whether or not he had been fired.
“I think you’d better ask the sergeant-at-arms that,” he said.
Reached by phone, Statehouse Sergeant-at-Arms Janet Miller declined to comment.
“I am not going to say anything about a personnel matter,” she said.
In a written statement, Miller confirmed that Romei is no longer chief of police but declined to comment on the circumstances of his departure.
“We are grateful to Chief Romei for his contributions to the Department and wish him well in his future work. We hope that he will cooperate in the transition to new leadership,” she wrote.
“The General Assembly does not generally terminate employees without first providing them with feedback on performance and a full and fair opportunity to improve,” Miller continued. “We also attempt to provide supports to employees to assist them, where appropriate.
“Only if we become convinced that the employee’s performance will not sufficiently improve, do we consider a separation from employment,” she said.