Legislation that would allow probation and parole officers to carry firearms after completing training has support from union officials, though its chances of passing into law appear slim.
Representatives of the Vermont State Employees’ Association, the union representing corrections staff, testified Friday before the Senate Institutions Committee on the bill, S.289.
Vince Illuzzi, a VSEA lobbyist, told the panel that the legislation has been brought up in past years but failed to muster the needed support to advance.
“As people mull it over and think about the ramifications,” Illuzzi said, “they are beginning to understand that there is a need out there for allowing our probation and parole officers to really be able to defend themselves.”
Illuzzi said probation and parole officers are given bulletproof vests and told to notify law enforcement in advance if they anticipate the need.
“Those are all indications that the world is changing,” he said.
Sen. Joe Benning, R-Caledonia and the committee chair, is a sponsor of the legislation. He said the bill would likely face an “uphill battle” this year based on past results. Benning said he agreed to sponsor the legislation, in part, to help spur discussion on the issue.
He said one of the major hurdles for the legislation is that it would not only have to likely pass out of the committee he chairs and two others with jurisdiction over corrections: Senate Government Operations Committee and Senate Judiciary Committee.
The Senate Institutions Committee took no action on the legislation Friday. Instead, Benning said, he expected the panel to schedule additional testimony from witnesses next week.
Among the questions raised by committee members include how much the training would cost and how many probation and parole officers would want to carry a firearm.
Probation and parole officers would not be required to carry firearms under the legislation. The bill would permit those who want to carry firearms while on duty to do so after completing a course at the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council.
The legislation comes as communities across the state, including Burlington, consider initiatives aimed at disarming law enforcement and increasing de-escalation training.
Steve Howard, VSEA executive director, told the Senate panel Friday that 35 states allow probation and parole officers to carry firearms.
Howard did say that in Vermont a probation or parole officer can carry a firearm in certain limited situations, such as when a direct threat has been made against them, with the approval of the corrections commissioner.
Dave Martinson, who recently retired from the state Department of Corrections after 35 years, including many supervising offenders on probation, parole and furlough, also testified Friday in favor of the legislation.
He talked about his experiences in northern Vermont with limited cell service and access to backup from law enforcement when going to homes of people he supervised. Having a firearm, he said, would help provide protection in such a situation, especially when dealing with a “high-risk” offender in a remote location.
Sen. Dick Mazza, D-Grand Isle, asked Howard how widespread the support is for carrying firearms among the probation and parole officers.
“It’s not 100 percent,” Howard responded.
Howard added that the results were a bit mixed. However, he said, among those who would not want to carry a firearm themselves, there are some who would not oppose allowing those wanting to carry a firearm to do so if properly trained.
Sen. Cheryl Hooker, D-Rutland, said after the hearing Friday she hasn’t made up her mind on legislation, and still has questions.
“I’d want to know what the cost to the state is going to be, what is the cost of the training?” she said. ‘It sort of begs the question, what if everybody wants to be armed?”
Read the story on VTDigger here: Union-backed bill to arm probation and parole officers faces ‘uphill battle’.