The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee will meet on Thursday, September 2, 2010, at 5:00 pm at the Riverview Café.

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Jan Anderson
Executive Secretary
Brattleboro Town Manager's Office

"Do the emergency services in Brattleboro use unique sirens? Can I
tell whether a siren is for an ambulance, police car, sheriff, or fire
truck just by listening? If so, how do I tell them apart?"

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The sirens that BPD purchases are capable of making a variety of sounds. When we purchase sirens we look for the lowest cost (we're always trying to use tax dollars efficiently) while still insuring a quality piece of equipment.

"What types of radar/laser (bands, POP, ect) do police in Vermont use
to enforce speed laws?"

I can not comment accurately on what all of the other police agencies in Vermont use, but I would be happy to tell you what the Brattleboro Police use. We use what are commonly referred to as radar guns. This is actually a device, able to be used both while stationary and while a car is moving, that utilizes the Doppler effect of radar waves to measure speed.

The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communications Committee will meet on Thursday, July 1, 2010, at 5:00 pm in the Hanna Cosman meeting room at the Municipal Center.

They will discuss history of the CPCC and community outreach.

"OWS" is a code that is used for "obstructed windshield," not "operating without seatbelt."

Below is a link to the Vermont Judicial Bureau Waiver Penalty Chart (pdf). This is the chart that VT officers use to fill out civil violation tickets. Fines, points, and the like are pre-set by an appointed committee. It has fines for everything from underage smoking, overweight trucks, hunting violations, and running a stop sign.

http://www.vermontjudiciary.org/eforms/Waiver_Penalty_Schedule.pdf

FYI-

In the last few hours, on the last day of the month, the Bratt PD has issued DOZENS of tickets for motor vehicle violations (based on listening to the scanner chatter). The one that seems to be the top summons-getter is OWS, which I believe is for operating without seatbelt.

So click it if you want to live (and don't want a ticket!)

Some of us are wondering whether if we have a liscence plate number of a motorcycle with straight pipes, and a decibel reading in excess of 90 db or 100 db, whether you will investigate the incident.

We also wonder anyone in Brattleboro has been ticketed or fined in the last year for driving vehicles with modified exhausts that were driving in residential areas making a loud noise so as to disturb the peace.

Thanks for any information you might have, and also thanks for all the ways that you have made South Main Street a better neighborhood to live in.

"On my commute to work I drive a road that is 40 MPH and 50 MPH. I drive the speed limit as best I can, although sometimes a little faster sometimes a little slower. Occasionally I get behind someone driving very slowly (not a farm vehicle, but a car), even in good weather. Recently I was behind someone who drove 20-25 MPH the entire way. There are passing sections, but usually there is another car coming.

I have a couple of questions. First, is there a minimum speed on state/town roads the way there is on the interstate and would someone be pulled over for driving too slowly? Also, I understand that often the second person gets pulled over because they are the ones who pull aside for the cop. Would this be the case in driving slowly? If I were stuck behind a slow driver would I be pulled over and ticketed for driving too slowly? Or would the policeman pass me by for the other car?"

The Brattleboro Citizen Police Communication Committee will meet on May 20, at 5:00pm in the Hanna Cosman Room of the Municipal Center. The Committee will  take an in-depth look at the current complaint process.

Executive Secretary
Town of Brattleboro

"Does a cop have to see someone littering from a car happening for it
to be a violation? I got the license plate number, but I was wondering
if I should or could report them? What is the procedure? "


A police officer does not have to witness a crime in order for it to be investigated. In fact, the vast majority of cases we investigate are not seen by an officer.