Windham County Sheriff's Department
~ Breaking News ~

By HOWARD WEISS-TISMAN, Reformer Staff
Brattleboro Reformer

Kerry Sleeper was asked to investigate the Bellows Falls Police Department, and while he refused to release any details about his findings, Sleeper said it will be up to the Attorney General to determine if the department broke any laws.

Sleeper stressed that every time he does an investigation, he turns the findings over to the AG's office, and the move does not mean that the department broke any laws.

Interim Police Chief John Dunfee said he has heard that the investigation was carried out over his use of overtime, and he said an unofficial report on Sleeper's investigation found that he did not abuse overtime while trying to provide law enforcement for the village.

But Sleeper said, "Our investigation would not be conducted simply to review overtime-related issues in any law enforcement agency unless there was more to the allegation."

The Department of Public Safety is also in the middle of a second investigation into the workings of the Bellows Falls department, which has been battling a rash of bad publicity.

The department had its use of the state criminal information system suspended for three months after Dunfee used the system to help Municipal Manager John Schempf beat a speeding ticket.

The department has also not been able to provide 24-hour service in the village due to staff shortages.

A lawsuit by a village bar owner contends that the police violated his rights during a publicized arrest last year.

And after the trustees voted to slash the police budget, and residents put the money back in, the department has already spent more than $17,000 in overtime since the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1.

Capt. John Filipek of the Vermont State Police also confirmed Tuesday that his department has been asked by the municipal manager to work more closely with the village department.

Filipek said the state police are only going to intervene with village crime on a case-by-case basis.

"The town manager called and asked if we would be available if they needed anything," said Filipek. "We are not taking over or anything."

The village last week hired Russ O'Dell as chief of the Bellows Falls department.

Former chief Keith Clark was elected Windham County Sheriff in January and Dunfee took over on an interim basis.

Dunfee resigned last month.

O'Dell will move into the top office in October, but will not be able to fully take over until December, after he completes training at the Vermont Academy.

Dunfee's last day is this Friday and Officer David Bemis will be interim chief until O'Dell arrives, Dunfee said.

Howard Weiss-Tisman can be reached at hwtisman@reformer.com or 802-254-2311, ext. 279.