Chief Mike Schirling
Mayor Miro WeinbergerBURLINGTON, Vt. -
Residents packed a public forum held by Burlington Police Wednesday following a series of prominent public safety incidents.
Police say they've seen a rise in burglaries this year and that drug addiction seems to once again be the driving factor. Police Chief Mike Schirling addressed concerns and offered advice to residents as to how to help clean up the streets. He says burglaries began increasing in the Queen City three years ago.
"They go up fairly significantly into 2011 and then in 2012, we're seeing basically the same numbers, we're seeing a little bit higher numbers than in 2011," said Schirling,
Schirling says about 10 percent of the 3,700 calls they receive each year are crime related. He says the department is teaming up with other police agencies to find new ways to take on the growing theft problem.
