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Police academy seeks K‑9 trainer, athletic trainer and equipment funding to sustain statewide training
Summary
The Vermont Police Academy and Criminal Justice Council asked the Senate Judiciary Committee for new positions and one‑time funding to stabilize canine training, add an athletic/trainer role to reduce injuries, and replace aging kitchen and training equipment.
Chris Purkel, executive director of the Vermont Police Academy and representative of the Vermont Criminal Justice Council, told the Senate Judiciary Committee the academy is asking for several positions and one‑time equipment funding to sustain existing statewide training programs.
Purkel said the academy has used carry‑forward funds and outside contractors to deliver K‑9 training after the Vermont State Police moved to a different training platform. He asked the committee either to fund a permanent K‑9 training position or provide two years of contracting funds to stabilize the program while the state considers whether to realign training platforms. “We are continuing to do it until the end of our contract, which goes until December of this year. And then what we are looking for is the ability to actually, have that position,” Purkel said.
On wellness and injury prevention, Purkel described recent use of a contracted human‑performance firm to reduce training injuries and said the academy is requesting an athletic‑trainer position to lower work‑comp costs and keep recruits engaged during recovery. He pointed to past work that identified rhabdomyolysis cases during physical training and said the program helps trainees meet standards without exacerbating injuries.
Purkel also outlined an equipment and operations request totaling roughly $635,000 for items that fall outside normal operating budgets: kitchen appliances, tactical vests, a Taser 10 training device to match field deployments, and other durable goods. He defended the package as necessary to continue current operations and training offered statewide.
Committee members asked about harassment and bullying, and Purkel said the academy now has a community inclusion director and a fair‑and‑impartial‑policing trainer who address bias and related topics; the athletic‑trainer request is not intended to cover harassment responses.
Ending: Purkel said the academy will return with further details if the committee wants more specificity and described the current ask as focused on sustaining services already provided to law‑enforcement agencies across the state.
