The superintendent of Burlington, Vermont Public Schools and the city’s police chief have issued a joint apology following a simulated robbery in front of high school students at police headquarters.
Vermont outlet Seven Days reported this week officers staged a surprise demonstration for students involved in the school’s Year End Studies Forensics program.
The staged robbery included a man wearing a ski mask holding a gun. Simulated gunshot sounds reportedly rang out in the building without warning as students ran for cover.
Police Chief Jon Murad and Burlington Superintendent Tom Flanagan said in a joint statement Friday they are “truly sorry” that the event happened, adding “neither of us want any repeat of anything like this moving forward.”
The event has garnered national attention and been condemned by group Sandy Hook Promise, which said “simulations that mimic real violence are not a solution for student safety.”
Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak's office apologized for the incident in a statement sent to WAMC Friday evening.
"First, I want to apologize for the harm and distress this incident caused Burlington High School students--students who have tragically grown up in a society where gun violence, including in school settings, has become commonplace," the mayor said. "My expectation is that both Burlington School District and the Police Department will take responsibility for the harm caused and be self-reflective about all the ways this should have been handled differently and will not be repeated in the future. My expectation is also that our School District and Police Department are following best practices for simulations like this, as reflected in state law governing school safety drills, which requires schools to ensure drills are trauma-informed, age appropriate, and with proactive communication to both parents and students about the planned drill and that students can opt out."
Murad was reappointed chief by the city council on Monday.