A hot mic comment during the Vermont Criminal Justice Council’s public discussion of potential changes to Fair and Impartial Policing policies this week outraged its members and led to a resignation of one of its members, a police officer.
The Vermont Criminal Justice Council has been reviewing the state’s Fair and Impartial Policing policy and had intended to take action on the matter during Wednesday’s meeting. Due to a late filing of objections, the item was taken off the agenda, but general discussion on the item continued.
A number of individuals from Migrant Justice made comments through an interpreter on the issue.
“My name is Eduardo. We are waiting to make sure that this goes through,” he stated through the interpreter. “This plays into our everyday life. We don’t want to be afraid of being sick because sometimes we are afraid of going to the doctor or people calling immigration on us. And so we want to make sure that our communities feel safe.”
“You’re *** here illegally and you’re worried about being sick,” interrupted an unknown speaker. “Oh, yeah. Unreal.”
“Whoever’s stating that opinion,” chair Bill Sorrell interjected, “It’s not welcome and don’t interrupt.”
Committee chair and former state Attorney General Bill Sorrell was among those upset by the comment.
He asked that if there was an ability to identify the individual, who had phoned in via Zoom, it be included in the minutes. Council member Mike Major, a representative of the Vermont Police Association, immediately interjected.
“Mr. Chair those remarks were from me,” said Major. “It wasn’t directed towards the discussion. I was having a discussion with my daughter. I apologize for that extremely and it should not be reflected on the person that was talking at the time.”
But the other council members rejected his explanation. Assistant Attorney General Erin Jacobson said she was discouraged and disturbed by the comment.
“I am outraged by your comments,” said Jacobson. “I don’t find it credible that you said you were talking to your daughter. It’s quite a coincidence that it seemed in direct response to one of our community members expressing the fear they feel every day. I don’t understand how your comments like that help the credibility of this body or the credibility of the work and I question your membership on the council at this point.”
Vermont Psychiatric Survivors Executive Director Karim Chapman offered apologies to the members of Migrant Justice who had been testifying.
“It was hurtful, even more hurtful that you’re talking to your daughter about this in this way,” said Chapman. “And I want to also say this feels like racial profiling. And that comment by Mike Major, a council member, is the reason why we’re here. The reason why there’s a conflict between law enforcement and advocates and people on the ground that see working families every day working, doing the right thing and they get a blanket stigma that everyone is illegal and everyone shouldn’t be an American and on our soil. I feel so embarrassed as a member to have had another council member say that.”
Legislative and Assistant Appellate Attorney at the Vermont Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs Timothy Lueders-Dumont was shocked by the comment by Major.
“That comment and explanation is not plausible as to the justification why,” Lueders-Dumont asserted. “From the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs we hope that Mike Major considers resigning on his own accord and appreciate the response that council members have had in responding to that comment.”
As the council ended its general discussion, Major resigned from the council.
“I just wanted to apologize again to the council,” Major said. “And I’ve heard everything the council has said and I will be resigning my position with the council effective immediately. I cannot apologize enough. It was not directed at the speaker or any member on the council and I just wanted to apologize again. I’m sorry.”
Major was hired as a part-time patrol officer for the Bristol Police Department in March 2020. Chief Bruce Nason says in 2023 he worked one shift and one event detail. On Wednesday he tendered his resignation. Nason writes that “Major's comments do not reflect the views of the Bristol Police Department or the officers that seek to make the Bristol Community safe and welcoming to all.”
