Department of Public Safety outlines structure, grants role and emergency functions

The Department of Public Safety told the Government Operations & Military Affairs Committee on Jan. 30 that it comprises multiple divisions responsible for law enforcement, emergency management, fire safety, forensics, communications and other public-safety functions, and that the department manages substantial federal grant funding including FEMA dollars.

Commissioner Jennifer Morrison opened the session by describing the department’s leadership team and the eight-division structure that includes the Vermont State Police, Vermont Emergency Management, the Vermont Forensic Laboratory, the division of fire safety, Vermont Crime Information Center (VCIC), radio technology, and administrative functions. "We are the home of all the FEMA money," Morrison said, noting the department’s role as a pass-through for federal disaster funds.

The presentation framed the department’s work for lawmakers: forensics operations include toxicology, biology (DNA/serology), drug chemistry and a physical comparison unit; Vermont Emergency Management (VEM) operates a 24/7 state emergency operations center and houses the Vermont School Safety Center; the Radio Technology shop runs a statewide land mobile radio network and also manages more than 700 phone lines that support public safety operations.

The commissioner noted the department employs about 605 full-time and 200 part-time workers across its divisions. She described the Criminal Justice Services budget construct that combines radio technology and the VCIC for fiscal purposes even though the functions are distinct in practice. Morrison also noted a pending hire for a division director in animal welfare, subject to background checks.

Committee members asked for specifics about several divisions. Morrison and division directors provided operational detail and pointed to public reports or staff follow-up for detailed metrics. For example, the department said the fire-safety unit operates a statewide fire academy, performs building-code and licensing work, and maintains regional offices. Forensics director Trish Conti (present at the hearing) and other subject-matter staff were introduced as technical contacts for committee follow-up.

Lawmakers were also briefed on the department’s accreditation: the Vermont State Police are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, a credential Morrison highlighted while describing Support Services and accreditation work in the agency.

The department said much of its recent workload and grant activity has been driven by flooding events in 2023 and 2024. Director of administration Rick Hallenbeck told the committee that in state fiscal year 2024 the department disbursed roughly $114,000,000 in grant funds; staff characterized a majority of that as disaster grant funding but did not provide a precise percentage in the presentation.

Morrison closed the overview by inviting committee questions and noting that subject-matter experts were available for technical follow-up. The committee then moved to a budget-adjustment briefing and detailed questions about specific units.