Political Quotes

“it is with great appreciation and a touch of sadness that I note the pending retirement of Michael Schirling, who has served as police chief of the city of Burlington, VT, with great distinction for the last 7 years. His youthful appearance belies the fact that Chief Schirling has been with the department for more than 25 years, first serving as an auxiliary officer while still attending the University of Vermont. Chief Schirling has held many titles over those years: patrol officer, detective, investigator, director, commander, deputy chief, and finally chief. In other words, this Burlington native rose through the ranks. And throughout this impressive career, Chief Schirling has always sought a better way to do the job. Earlier in his career, he co-founded the Vermont Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which recognized the potential for abuse as the Internet came of age. The task force has been critical to the investigation and prosecution of high-technology crimes that target those who are most vulnerable. After he took reins of the department, Chief Schirling grew concerned that officers were spending too much time on paperwork and data entry, taking precious time away from policing. In response he designed his own dispatch and records management software system. The Valcour system-- named after an island with historical significance on Lake Champlain-- was launched in 2011.…”