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Public meetings for Regional Policing Initiative

Windham County, VT — The Windham County Sheriff’s Office invites the public to attend a series of upcoming public meetings about the Windham County Sheriff’s Regional Policing Initiative, a forward-looking effort to improve access to rural law enforcement through shared services across municipalities.

Launched in 2023, the initiative is focused on addressing the needs of the many Windham County towns that do not have their own municipal police departments. By fostering collaboration and sharing resources among towns, the goal is to provide more consistent, reliable, and affordable policing to underserved areas.

“I fundamentally believe people need access to emergency services twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. How do we make it affordable? How do we govern it? How do we fund it?” said Sheriff Mark Anderson, who is leading the initiative. “Our current system is a 60% solution.”

The Sheriff’s Office will host four public engagement events to hear from community members, answer questions, and share information about potential models for regional policing:

July 31, 2025 – 5:30 PM
Jamaica Selectboard Meeting Room
28 Town Office Rd
Jamaica, VT

August 2, 2025 – 10:00 AM
Marlboro Community Center
524 South Road
Marlboro, VT

August 6, 2025 – 5:30 PM
NewBrook Fire Department
698 Vermont Route 30
Newfane, VT

August 7, 2025 – 5:30 PM
Putney Fire Department
21 Carl Snyder Dr
Putney, VT

These events are open to the public and intended to gather feedback about the future of policing in rural Vermont. A future meeting will be hosted based on the public’s feedback with a proposal for future action.

The push for regionalization is not new. Numerous studies commissioned over the last seventy years by the Legislature, state, and independent researchers have consistently recommended regional law enforcement services as a necessary step forward for Vermont’s rural communities.

Media Contact:
Sheriff Mark Anderson
manderso@windhamcountyvt.gov
802-365-4942 x151