Dear Editor,
As a father of two young daughters, aged 4 and 5, I never imagined that a simple walk to get ice cream would become a lesson in open-air drug use and public disorder in the heart of our city.
Recently, while walking to Ben & Jerry’s on Church Street in Burlington, we passed a park where multiple individuals were openly using drugs. Moments later, we were followed by another person who appeared to be under the influence, yelling at people trying to eat dinner on Church Street. We then saw a white Mercedes pull to the curb. An individual stepped out, appeared to exchange something with someone in the park, lingered briefly in conversation and then drove away. What appears to be open-air drug activity has become increasingly visible in downtown Burlington, and it is deeply concerning. It feels like no one is truly in control. We are ticketed for parking violations, yet open drug use and suspected dealing unfold in plain sight in our public spaces. On behalf of parents, business owners and every law-abiding resident who expects basic order in their city, we deserve far better from our leadership.
No parent should have to walk their children through this on the way to get ice cream. No business owner should have to wonder how many customers are choosing to stay away because they don’t want to walk through this spectacle just to support local businesses. Burlington’s economy depends on people feeling safe enough to visit our downtown. How many families are quietly deciding it simply isn’t worth it anymore? Tourism is down here in “mini San Francisco.” Perhaps the flash mob thefts will come next.
This is not a letter about homelessness. It is a letter about open-air drug use, public disorder and the failure of leadership. We should continue helping people who are homeless, struggling with addiction or facing mental illness. But compassion does not require surrendering our parks, sidewalks and downtown streets to illegal drug activity and suspected dealing.
The U.S. Department of Justice and other federal research have consistently found that open-air drug markets attract far more than drug activity. They are associated with increased violence, robberies, illegal weapons, intimidation of residents and neighborhood disorder. They also expose children to criminal behavior that no child should ever have to witness. Cities across the country have recognized this reality and created specialized drug market enforcement initiatives because traditional policing alone was not enough.
Burlington has reached that point.
This problem has grown beyond the capacity of our current approach. Our elected leaders have shown us that what we are doing is not working. It is time for Vermont to recognize this as both a public safety and public health emergency and provide emergency funding to establish a dedicated public safety and drug market task force.
This task force should bring together the Burlington Police Department, the Vermont State Police, prosecutors, addiction specialists, mental health professionals and outreach organizations with one clear mission: dismantle open-air drug markets, restore public spaces, hold dealers accountable and connect those who want help with treatment.
In addition, Burlington needs a dedicated, visible downtown public safety presence: an appropriately staffed and trained police unit whose sole responsibility is maintaining order downtown. Other cities, including several on the West Coast that faced similar breakdowns in downtown public order, have implemented specialized downtown policing teams with consistent foot and bike patrols. These units are not about over-policing; they are about restoring baseline safety, deterring open-air drug activity and ensuring that public spaces are actually governed by law. Burlington should adopt a similar model so that residents, families and visitors can once again walk downtown without fear or disruption.
Other cities have demonstrated that focused, coordinated efforts can reclaim neighborhoods without abandoning compassion. Burlington should expect nothing less.
I love this city. That is exactly why I am writing this letter. My daughters deserve better. Every child in Burlington deserves better. Our businesses deserve better. Our residents deserve better.
And to those who are turning our parks and sidewalks into open-air drug scenes: enough is enough. This is not your place to destroy. This is a city where families live, where children walk and where decent people are trying to build a life. That basic truth must be respected again.
The question is no longer whether Burlington has a problem. The question is: What more do we need to see before we decide enough is enough?
August Letendre,
Shelburne, Vt.
