Burlington Mayor: Analysis Shows Substantial Racial Disparities In City's Overall Arrest Rate

From the City of Burlington:

July 29, 2020

On Tuesday, the City released a report on race-based disparities in arrests and presented the report’s findings at a meeting of the Police Commission. The report is available to read online, and a recording of Tuesday evening’s presentation to the Police Commission is also available to watch thanks to CCTV (beginning at 1:01:00 in the linked video). In response to the report, Mayor Miro Weinberger released the following statement:

“The City released an analysis yesterday that shows persistent, long-standing, and substantial racial disparities in Burlington’s arrest rate, which are troubling and can’t be ignored. These disparities demand both continued work within the department and a sustained effort to root out systemic racism that goes far beyond the scope of the Burlington Police Department or even law enforcement. The City of Burlington is committed to this work on many fronts.

“At the same time, the analysis also shows progress. Burlington Police Department policy and practice in recent years has clearly reduced racial disparities among juveniles and greatly improved traffic stop metrics. Further, the existence of this report is a step for the City’s and BPD’s commitment to transparency, analysis, and continuous improvement, and is exactly the type of outcome that I hoped for when we launched the practice of publishing an annual City Equity Report in 2018. I look forward to continuing this work along with many partners, and striving to eradicate racial disparities in arrests, policing, and all parts of our city.”

This press release was produced by the City of Burlington. The views expressed here are the author’s own.