 Well, good morning, everybody. I'm really glad that you could be here. My name is Bill Fraser. I am the city manager in Montpelier. I'd like to welcome everyone to this virtual press conference. I surely wish we could hold it in person. Maybe one of these days. So today I'm really excited that as per section 107 1007 a of the city charter I'm appointing Brian Pete to the position of police chief chief Pete who was here with us. Has had a long career law enforcement in the military, and most recently served as police chief in Alamogordo, New Mexico is full resume and our formal written announcement. We're just sent out about 20 minutes ago being posted online. So all of you folks in the press should have received it. This is a big moment for our department the last two chiefs spanning nearly 40 years were Montpelier locals and came up through the ranks we haven't had an outside chief in some time. Chief Pete will begin working alongside chief Tony fakers beginning on June 15, and we'll assume his formal role as Montpelier's 15th police chief beginning on July 1. Thanks to no small part to chief fakers Montpelier has a great police department who are leaders in Vermont. We look forward to our new chief challenging our officers dispatchers and staff to reach even higher levels of professionalism excellence. I'm a field of 19 applicants a process consisted of resume review the now routine Google search three interview sessions extensive reference checks criminal and financial records checks and detailed background checks. I was assisted in this making this decision by a citizen stakeholder group, the city leadership team and police department representatives. Chief Pete quickly emerges the consensus top choice impressed us all with his demeanor knowledge breath of experience leadership skills and emphasis on mental health awareness and response. An internet search will tell you that chief Pete left his position in Alamogordo through a difficult resignation process. I personally dug very deeply into the details and came away even more convinced that Brian Pete was the right choice from Montpelier. A political and administrative environment created by Alamogordo city officials conflicted with his personal professional ethics. Chief Pete's commitment to Alamogordo and its residents and the overwhelming support he still has from that community, his previous employees and other partners, partner agencies became clear during the extensive vetting process. I heard over and over again, even from his critics, how effective he had been and how much you'd improve the department is integrity throughout the ordeal was inspiring. The current climate in Alamogordo, Brian was still able to bring a crisis intervention team program to the department, winning a $400,000 grant to do so. He wrote Alamogordo's first strategic plan for the police department champion officer mental health and instituted a robust training program. Chief Pete worked extensively in the community supported local businesses and established new partnerships with county state and federal agencies. This is the type of forward looking and active leadership we expect in Montpelier. We're delighted to welcome Brian Pete and his family to Montpelier. We are confident that his experience and dedication to progressive and innovative law enforcement will immensely benefit the police department and the Montpelier community. I'm proud to have him join our team. We'll have brief remarks from Chief Pete, Chief Fakas and Mary Ann Watson, and then we will take questions from media representatives afterwards. Thank you. Chief Pete. Thank you, sir. First and foremost, I'd like to thank you to thank the, the various stakeholders department directives and hiring teams and committees for this once in a lifetime fantastic opportunity and for their faith and their trust and I will not let you down. I'm looking forward to serving the citizens of the city of Montpelier and especially the men and women of the department and the city departments as well. I'm also planning to build upon the very, very strong foundation that Chief Fakas has set for MPD to include the inclusion, accountability, transparency, and especially community based service and 21st century policing. Nowhere in this in this great country is there another department that's more dedicated to such 21st century policing practices and cultures. And finally, I'd like to tell the folks who are watching and the families and the people of the city of Montpelier that I look forward to getting out there and to listening and learning and doing everything that I can to continue strengthening the Montpelier police department and moving it forward. And, of course, I cannot not mention the fact that how grateful I am for the opportunity to lead the men and women of the Montpelier police department. I'm looking forward to serving them into working hard and advocating for them as well. And thank you all again for this extraordinarily opportunity. Thank you. And Chief Fakas. Unmute yourself, sir. Thank you, everyone. First, like to the opportunity to thank members of our community, city department heads and members of the MPD who participated in the chief selection process. Chief Pete will come to the department faced with two incredibly difficult challenges that, you know, be for any police agency. One, this the whole global response to COVID-19 and all the changes that that brings. And currently we're a ton of national outrage over police brutality and the need to always foster improve on police community relations. The good news is that MPD is fully staffed, both in terms of the dispatch and the police. But again, our parking folks, you know, that's still on hold as we work through the COVID-19 financial challenges. But crime is low quality of life is very strong and popular. And one of these are really, I just love when I, the few times that Chief Pete and I have spoken on the phone. Is that it's, it's like we've been working together for quite some time, just in terms of how his approach to drug harm reduction and community health. Especially to two key pieces that are very near and dear to both of our philosophies and policing. One is the commitment to 21st century policing and the six pillars that are involved with that. And number two, our commitment to long proving law enforcement response to people in mental health crisis. And that's something that we are both well accomplished in. So he's got some great ideas and we so look forward to what he's going to bring to Montpelier PD and take it up a notch. And his no question about his dedication and commitment to Montpelier is going to be outstanding. And lastly, just so people understand, because he's an out of state police officer, he'll be going through a process, a waiver process. Has been any, when any law enforcement officer is transitioning from one state to another. And that will be so he'll have, it'll be a little, so probably hopefully within 2 months, he'll be a fully certified Vermont law enforcement officer. It's a standard process that he'll have to go through with some additional training to bring up to speed with Vermont rule of criminal procedure, Vermont law, criminal border vehicle law and so forth. So we'll, the department will assist working with the Vermont police academy to have that happen as soon as possible. And again, lastly, I just want to for my 35 years here. Thank this community so much. And then also thank the department. So it's a, it's a wonderful place to live. It's a wonderful place to work. And so thank you. Thank you chief. Mayor Watson. Thank you and hello everyone. I want to start by thanking all of the folks who were involved in the hiring process. So thank you to the members of the public and of the department and staff that were a part of this hiring process. It seems like we've come up with a great candidate. So, or not just candidate great hire. So thank you so much to Tony. I just want to say I've been so grateful to work with you over the past few years. I really appreciated your compassionate approach to policing. And I definitely see that in our incoming chief Pete as well, which is very exciting. And to to chief, our incoming chief Pete. I just want to say that I'm looking forward to working with you and we have a great department here and a great community. And we all highly value the work of our police department and and the work of the leadership there. So thank you. And we're looking forward to having you. And as I understand it, you're not quite in Montpelier yet, but I want to welcome you to Montpelier. So thank you. I believe he's sitting in Montpelier right now actually. Oh, are you? Oh, okay. Nevermind. Yes. Okay. Well, thank you, everybody. This time if there are questions from media representatives, any of any of the four of us that spoke will be happy to take them. It would be excellent if you could raise your hand so that I can unmute you if you would like to raise a question. You can do that by hitting your reactions at the bottom or you can hit more next to your name. It does not seem to be working. So what I will do no one unless no one has a question, but what I will do is unmute everyone. And if you speak up, I will notice and we'll sort of create a queue questions. I'm not hearing from anybody. So I'm going to go through and sort of it. It says we're all muted, not unmuted. Okay, well, it's okay. Cameron, this is Meredith. There is a question in the group chat. Oh, okay. Thank you, Meredith. You're welcome. Um, from Ellis, Eloise Reed. How will Montpelier take a stand against police brutality within the police department. Chief Pete, I believe that is directed to you. That's a very relevant question, especially with with everything that's going on right now in our country, the unfortunate incidences. Montpelier already has a very strongly established culture of a servant based leadership, I believe, and service to its community. And what we have to do is make sure that we continue that culture so that it becomes the norm. And not the exception that our department is one that believes in serving the community and being part of the community that it serves that we do not isolate ourselves and look at upon ourselves as an us versus them. Warrior geared mentality. We have to, we have to be diligent and who we are. We have to police ourselves. We have to train. And we have to make sure that we set the example for not only ourselves, but to become the best dog on police department in this state and a national culture in 21st century policing practices and cultures and making sure and servant based response. So I think that it's a, there's a lot going on, and we can't do it alone. We need, we need feedback and honest discussions with those that we serve in the community. And I think that once we all love each other and understand each other. We need to continue to get better, but I think we have a very strong department and and just moving forward and being that example. So Tom Brown had a question. Hi, excuse me. Hi everyone. Welcome to Montpellier chief Pete. I'm just curious what drew you to Montpellier, you know, Vermont in particular, and, and also at some point if I know you're limited on this but if you could speak on some of the philosophical or other issues you had with management in Alamogordo that would be interesting to hear so welcome what you're here and what you've been doing since you left the job. Okay, well first and foremost what drew me here was knowing the reputation of the department and knowing the integrity of of the city government and of the professional staff and directors that are here and that they're geared towards service to the community and serving the constituents. That is huge for me more than anything else especially dealing with some past instances. This has been a very strong voice and advocate within law enforcement executive circles, regarding CIT regarding external stakeholder buy in and regarding working with with all different various agencies I mean you can look at project just as one example it's a national example and model with what they're doing so to be able to come into a department that strongly established and that that that understands that gets it. And so to do what I can to solicit the ideas of the men and women of the department. That's extraordinarily exciting it's a once in a lifetime opportunity. And on a more personal level in coming here is my wife Natalie and I we have a six year old daughter Gabriella and we were looking for a community we were looking for I think the best way to say it as a home. And my pillar just checked it off on so many different levels and it was further validated when we came in here and from walking our dog to you know we're staying self quarantine but as I have to walk the dog and when we're out trying to get groceries and that's the social distancing. It feels like home it's it's the equivalent to me is when you're house hunting and you walk into that you take that first step to the front door and you know this is it. And so, just everything combined all those elements combined just make it a dream, an absolute dream. And, and in regards to, to my previous position and now I'm a Gordo. There are some extraordinarily fine people there, some hard working people that are working towards the constituency that are working towards towards the staff, and that want to make the community better and it's great wonderful place to live. Unfortunately, there have been some administrative things that have come up. And some of them steeped in political related issues that did not coalesce to who I was into how I was brought up personally and professionally have come from a background of the Inspector General's office I come from a background of federal law and and I come from a background of military leadership where we have to value integrity, honor and service. And, and based on that there were some issues there that that did not quite coalesce to that and there came a decision in which I had to make. And, and I chose to to pursue other opportunities and again the blessing of coming here had presented itself so I'm grateful for that. All right. If you have a question either unmute yourself or you can type that you have a question in the chat and I can either read it out loud or call on you. I'm sort of trusting everyone here to not talk over each other but feel free to unmute yourself if you have a question. I have a question. Thank you, Kim Cheney. Chief Pete, I've been interested in regional police and fire cooperation in central Vermont, I wonder if you've had any experience and regional cooperation. Communications. Use of equipment. Training together. Yes, sir. Good morning. I do have some experience and exposure and working with within in the city of Chicago I became a licensed EMTB. And I did by practicum, if you will, my, my, my hours, my CE hours with the Chicago Fire Department responding to various different calls for the ambulance personnel. So I'm extraordinarily familiar with, with that aspect of working with the fire department. I've also worked with the fire department on scene in Chicago, work with them in Alamogordo as well as working with the chief of the Alamogordo Fire Department, and in trying to make sure we have training opportunities as well as when, when it comes to, unfortunately, active shooter scenarios, and then how the police department can support the fire department in a way that they will make their jobs easier when they're responding to emergencies. So, I do have, have that experience, but I think above more than all, I have to make sure that my job is to listen, my job is to serve and my job is to find out what it is that the fire department here in Montpelier needs from the police department that we can make all of our jobs easier to serve the citizens of the city. All right. Again, have a follow up your muted. I don't think so. Okay, we'll see. Um, Tom, I guess I'm being told that you're also trying to speak again so hold on let me see if I can unmute you. You should be able to unmute yourselves. I did not offer anybody. So go for it, Tom. Get on mute yourself so Tom. I was muted by the host. I'm just curious about the citizen group up. Can we know the membership of that who was involved in this hiring other than departmental staff. Sure. Yeah, I'll go through the whole thing just so people are aware the, the Montpelier police department had corporal Chris Truhan was involved dispatcher Kerry McCool public safety administrator Chris Hepburn, Sergeant Eric Norton son and supervisor dispatch supervisor Fred Cummings were involved. The city leadership team I won't read them all up with the department heads. And he staff, people including chief fakers and Captain Neil Martel and then the city. The citizen advisory group with the people I asked to assist me this wasn't a council appointed committee included the chair of the Community Justice Center Board June Bascom. We are live director Dan Groberg, a member social and economic justice committee member Julia Chafetz times Argus editor Steve Pappas Washington County Mental Health Services Director Mary Moulton and Washington County State's Attorney Rot Rory Tebow. So that was my advisory group. All right, we did have another question from Eloise read. And to ask Chief Pete, would you support anti racist training for the department. Yes, by all means, but I'd have to look at the at what that that curriculum would entail there there are many. There are many aspects to to this and I think that based on the man I know Tony fakers to believe to be based on the man that I know Captain Neil to be. And in the history of the department. I don't see any evidence there. But I think that it's important that we have to emphasize training that continues to challenge us, each of us to confront any biases that we may have against anyone whether it be skin tone whether it be sexual orientation whether it be anything named named again but of anything that we sometimes unfortunately choose to distinguish ourselves from someone else. So I think that we need to be aware of any biases or implicit biases that that we may develop throughout our lifetimes of experiences and to keep those in check. And to constant struggle not just for law enforcement I think but for all of us in general and that's why I think the national conversation that that's going on right now. Is is a very good one and it's one that it's one that causes each of us to look inside of ourselves and to become better to start with ourselves and so I think that yes and looking at that training and make sure that we maintain officer wellness to make sure that sometimes some of the things that typically crop up within law enforcement with those who work within law enforcement emergency response that we we push those demons down we push those those depressions down. And we move forward so I think that the vigilance there is this is something I definitely support I want to make sure that that we continue to do this and that we become the national model for this for all other policing agencies. There are a lot of folks on this call for people to not have questions so you are able to unmute yourself, or you can type your question into the chat if you do not want to unmute yourself. Kim Cheney I have a follow up. Am I on my yes sir. Okay. Chief Pete I am currently the chair of a regional public safety authority is trying to work with Dairy City and some of our surrounding towns. I have a question about cooperation was not just between departments but between municipalities. And I wonder if you have any experience in that area. Yes, sir. I do have a lot of experience there and starting off with my career in OSI. I have been a liaison with other federal agencies with that entire alphabet suit. Federal agencies state and municipal agencies and that's something that's carried over all the way to Alamogordo and something that I will continue to do here. Again and following that legacy and that example set by Chief Vegas that that MPD enjoys a very strong and robust relationship with with all with with all law enforcement agencies. And I'm not sure I continue that that I build upon that because law enforcement is not a vacuum it cannot be a vacuum we cannot do any of this alone, and it takes all of us to work forward it takes all of us to to ensure the safety of community so we can't be about ego, never should be about ego and that's that's not who I'm about. It's just it all boils down to making sure we do what's best, and we communicate with each other to serve. Because that's what this job is about law enforcement is about service. It's not about anything else it's not about power trips it's not about us versus them. It's about serving people and anyone who's in this job for any other reason. Obviously, with what's going on times over with for that we need to move forward and we need to make sure that we all coalesce with each other and we work well together. This is Carol plant I am the restorative programs coordinator for the Community Justice Center, and I'm interested just to hear you talk about your experience with restorative justice or your perspective about using restorative justice. Okay, I've worked on recidivism boards in the state of New Mexico, and working with community policing programs within Chicago and then moving towards Alamo Gordo we look towards restorative justice models. There's a lot there is restorative justice takes a lot it takes a lot of strength it takes a lot of takes a lot of patients and it takes a lot of working with a lot of external agencies to make sure that we succeed and we accomplish. So, I don't believe that any agency can arrest itself out of any particular situations. It has to be about a multi prong effort and going all the way from from people from SROs from from officers from from families from school teachers from everyone from the lowest. From the youngest levels, all the way up to adult levels and identifying people that need help and and moving forward and getting them that help before they become immersed into a criminal justice system that that needs a little bit of work. So the, I think the best medicine here is to make sure we don't pull people in and those who are in is to do what we can. To make sure that we that we move towards recidivism that we move towards enhancing quality of life and opportunities educational opportunities, economic opportunities for people who are who have been disadvantaged historically. So I think it's it's a, in looking at restorative justice, I think that it's, it has to continue on as a national dialogue, and it has to be input from everybody and and I think nowadays police departments are being forced to come to the table and to listen. We're in the past that's been lacking in some areas I do not see that anywhere here in the city. But to begin those national dialogues and those local dialogues and sharing of information. And I think, to me the biggest key of restorative justice is, is compassion is to understand again that sense of service that what we're here for is their go out with the grace of God so we have to realize that in any given one moment, any of us can be struck down from where we're at to whether it's health, whether it's job. I've been here several times myself. So it's understanding and it's establishing that connection to your fellow human being and doing everything that you can to give back to help them to help them succeed. I hope that answered your question. Yes, thank you. Thank you for a second Mayor Watson needs to get off. I think she just wanted to say a couple of things. Sorry. Yep. Sorry, I just wanted to say again. Welcome to chief Pete. We're so excited to have you you're clearly the right man for the job and we're so we're so grateful for you. And thank you all again, and I've got a class here starting in about one minute so I'll see you all against you and I hope. I just wanted to respond. Yes, thank you for answering that question and I love to hear you talk about service, because coming from a restorative process place. That's really what we think about is how we serve the people that we work with. I also appreciate hearing your, your thoughts about that it's multifaceted and then it's not, you know, a panacea we're not going to fix it just by doing a restorative process but we have to look at all of the different. All of the different contributing factors around what's happening with people so thank you I appreciate that. And if I may also follow up and transitioning from the previous question regarding that, why it chose to come here or why I wanted to come here. You guys are doing something that is seldom seen in this country. You have a police department that engages and listens to the community under the leadership of chief Vegas, and you have a community that wants to rally to do better. You have to use bumps to be able to be part of that opportunity and again that's one of the many things that is so attractive about coming here to the city and I'm so grateful and so blessed to have been here and to have been nominated or given this opportunity. Next question to my question, may I ask. Hi, chief welcome. We want to know how we can welcome you and how we can support the work, particularly with officer support with mental health services or officers when needed and support so that terrible accidents can be prevented. The ongoing chief's article was very moving and made me really think hard about officer mental health, which is not something a warrior doesn't complain a warrior is a warrior, a warrior does not let you know when a warrior is feeling weak but a warrior needs support and rest and from time to time. What will you do to maintain your strength and equilibrium in the kinds of difficult days that we have now. And I wondered if you'll have open visiting hours or some kind of community hour where we can speak with you in the way that the city hall council does sometimes hold community hour where we can meet a counselor and talk. Yes, I can definitely answer to that and I think that Chief Fakus is also probably probably several things he's probably chomping a bit to say something about that because again he is a leader in officer wellness he was talking about and doing these types of things before it became a national discussion within circles like Perf or the IACP. So, yes, warriors yes I prefer the term guardians, because that's what we're supposed to do we're supposed to be here to garden the helpings to serve and protect people. And yes, for too long, it has been a suck it up rub some dirt on it and move on. And that breeds more problems. And I think that in my philosophy is as I and that we can't deal with, you can't not address and deal with the cumulative trauma or vicarious trauma, everyone in first response, everyone who serves the public is taking on a lot of stress for everyone and I think the type of people that come into public service are the ones who want to help and who will drown themselves to give back to people and then if it becomes too much. Then the cynicism comes in and creeps in and then that's when we start having issues and and we start making mistakes or we start making conscious decisions to do things that we shouldn't be doing. And it's incumbent upon each of us to make sure we recognize that to make sure we have the training to recognize that and our fellow public service folks and to and to to help them before it becomes something that's going to elevate to what we're seeing now to what's And it's crucial not just for the perspective of making sure that we keep our city safe and that we keep our city in a good name and that we become a national model but I think even more in depth is because we want to save the lives of not the people that we serve but the people who serve. We want to make sure that families stay together that they have they're not coming home angry that that's crucial and coming from from what I've been through and what my wife strength with that's who I draw my strength from and and and being able to recognize that in each other and to help each We steep a little bit further in that that abyss and I think Tony Chief Vegas probably may have some other things to say. I'd like to jump in on this to if I could, Alma. One of the things that we found when doing our background check on on chief Pete was over and over again, people talking about how connected to the community he was and how out and about and involved with very many groups and just Being at events and being available and volunteering. It was, it was a very consistent theme was something he talked about it is interviews and I think is one of one of the many things that attracted us to to hire him is is is that that important value. And I'm sorry. Yes, sir. And I'm sorry about that I should I was getting my little head wrapped up into office and that but in answering that second part of the question. I will be out there everywhere. You see me in the grocery store you see me. Walking down Main Street or State Street, please stop me and tell me what what it is that you want to see from me. What is that I can do to make the community that I'm going to serve better. And yes, I will be, you know, looking at what the restrictions are from COVID-19 are going to be but I plan to be proactive and getting out there and talking to individuals making myself available. I'll be here and if only one person shows up them one person shows up and we have a very good conversation. But whether it's faith based organizations or social service organizations, any, any place anybody wants to talk to me. I will be there on your time. Thank you chief you know we would have a potluck for you or big barbecue if it wasn't like this right now. We can't even say goodbye to Chief Fakus properly. Need to have a party. It'll just be delayed. That's right. Keep them around longer. All right, no one else is typed in a question in the chat for a minute. You know, feel free to unmute yourself if you do have a question. But if not, there'll be plenty of opportunity as we mentioned, Chief Pete will begin working along with Chief Fakus on the 15th of June that is to allow him his two weeks of quarantine after moving to town. Otherwise, I think he'd be there working today. So we will have, I'm sure he will make himself available for plenty of conversations. And I'd like to thank everyone for coming asking questions participating and again, we're just delighted to have Chief Pete coming forward I think we've really have a great find and you know, there will be another time for this but I really can't thank Tony enough. He's been just great partner to work with and great chief and we've managed to actually get along personally too so that's, there's that so I'm going to Oh, Diane. No, she just hopped in and hopped up. So, this is Diane Derby. I just want to welcome Chief Pete. I am a Montpelier resident long time and I am also Senator Leahy's point person with the law enforcement community in Vermont. And on behalf of the Senator I'm sure he'll be in touch when he hears this news but welcome to Vermont to Montpelier and I've had a real privilege of working with Chief Fakus for many years. It's been a great relationship and we will miss Tony greatly but we're really thrilled to have you. So thanks for joining us. Thank you. Thank you very much for the opportunity and the trust. Thank you. I guess it's time to call this one. Thanks again for everyone and I believe Chief Pete into getting make pop in on us at the Council meeting tonight to so for those counts. I would for chief Pete's sake we do have Council Member Jack McCullough is here just wave your hand Jack. Dan Richardson is here. Jay Erickson just popped his face up. Mayor Watson was on the call as Conor on. No. So most of the City Council's here. We have a great bunch they work very cooperatively with our staff we're fortunate to have. Okay, thanks all. Onto great things for the community. Thank you.