You're probably here because something happened. Maybe it was a fender bender on Shelburne Road, or maybe you're just curious about what’s going on in your neighborhood near Church Street. Either way, trying to track down Burlington police incident reports can feel like you’re trying to decode a secret language. It isn’t always as simple as hitting "print" on a website.
The Burlington Police Department (BPD) handles a massive volume of data. We're talking about everything from minor noise complaints in the South End to major felony investigations. Understanding how this information flows from an officer’s laptop to a public record is the first step in actually getting what you need.
Vermont has some pretty specific laws—specifically the Vermont Public Records Act—that dictate what you can and can’t see. It’s a bit of a tug-of-war between transparency and privacy. Honestly, it can be frustrating. You might think a police report is a simple narrative of "he said, she said," but legally, it's a minefield of redacted names and sensitive details.
Why Getting Your Hands on Burlington Police Incident Reports Matters
Public safety isn't just a buzzword. It's real life. When you look at Burlington police incident reports, you're looking at the pulse of the city. For a homeowner, it might mean checking if those car break-ins on your block were actually reported. For a journalist, it's the backbone of a story. For someone in a legal dispute, it's the only objective evidence available.
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There is a huge difference between a "press release" and an actual incident report. The press release is what the department wants you to know. The incident report is the raw data. It includes the date, time, nature of the call, and the officer's initial observations. However, don't expect a novel. Many of these reports are incredibly brief, sometimes just a few lines of "Officer responded to location, parties were gone on arrival."
The Transparency Portal vs. The Formal Request
BPD uses something they call a "Transparency Portal." It’s actually pretty decent compared to other cities. You can see a map. You can see clusters of activity. You can see that, yeah, there were ten retail thefts reported downtown yesterday. But here’s the kicker: the portal doesn't give you the full report.
If you want the nitty-gritty details—the stuff that actually helps in court or with insurance—you have to go through the Records Division. This is where things get bureaucratic. You’ll likely deal with a records clerk who knows the Vermont Public Records Act (1 V.S.A. §§ 315-320) like the back of their hand. They aren't trying to be difficult; they're just following the law. If a case is "active" or "under investigation," good luck. You probably won't see much of anything until the prosecutor gives the green light.
The Reality of What's Actually in the Report
People often expect a CSI-style breakdown. In reality? It’s often a dry, typed summary.
A typical Burlington police incident report will list the "Incident Number." This is your golden ticket. Without that number, finding a specific event in a city with thousands of calls a month is like finding a needle in a haystack. The report will also include the CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch) logs. These show exactly when the call came in and when the officer arrived.
Timing is everything.
If there’s a delay between the call and the response, the logs will show it. This has been a major point of discussion in Burlington recently, especially with staffing levels being what they are. You can literally see the strain on the department by looking at the dispatch times in these reports.
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What Gets Redacted (And Why It’s Annoying)
You finally get the PDF. You open it. Half of it is covered in black bars.
Welcome to the world of redaction. Under Vermont law, police must protect the identity of victims of certain crimes, especially domestic violence or sexual assault. They also redact social security numbers, birth dates, and sometimes the names of witnesses if there’s a risk of harassment.
- Juvenile information is almost always scrubbed.
- Medical information is protected by HIPAA and state privacy laws.
- Affidavits for search warrants might be sealed.
It’s easy to feel like they’re hiding something, but usually, it's just standard legal compliance. If you feel a redaction is unfair, you can appeal to the Chief of Police, currently Jon Murad, or whoever is holding the office at the time. If that fails, you’re looking at Superior Court. Most people don’t go that far unless there’s a lot of money or a serious criminal charge on the line.
How to Request Your Report Without Wasting Time
Don't just show up at the North Avenue station and expect a printout. That’s not how it works anymore.
- Check the Daily Activity Log first. BPD posts a summary of the last 24 to 72 hours online. If you just need to know if an arrest was made, it’s probably there.
- Use the Online Request Form. Burlington has moved most of this to digital platforms. It’s faster. It creates a paper trail.
- Be Specific. "Give me all reports from last week" will get rejected or cost you a fortune in "search and retrieval" fees. "I need the report for Incident #23B00123" is what they want to hear.
- Wait. Generally, they have three business days to respond. If it’s complicated, they can ask for a ten-day extension.
Fees are another thing. If the request is small, they might waive it. If you’re asking for hundreds of pages or body-worn camera footage, get your wallet out. Reviewing video footage for redaction takes man-hours, and they will charge you for that time.
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The Body Camera Factor
Since 2026, the push for body-worn camera (BWC) footage to be part of the Burlington police incident reports package has only grown. But here's the reality: video isn't always "public."
If the video was taken inside a private residence, there are massive privacy hurdles. If it shows someone in a mental health crisis, it might be withheld under "community caretaking" exceptions. Getting the written report is easy. Getting the video is a marathon.
Common Misconceptions About Burlington Police Data
One big mistake people make is assuming that because an incident is on the news, the report is immediately available. It’s usually the opposite. High-profile cases are often shielded more tightly because the State's Attorney doesn't want the jury pool tainted.
Another thing? "Incident" doesn't mean "Crime."
A huge chunk of Burlington police incident reports are for non-criminal matters. Welfare checks, "agency assists" for the fire department, or mental health calls. If you’re looking at crime stats, don’t confuse the total number of incidents with the total number of crimes. They are very different metrics.
The data also shows "disposition." This tells you how the call ended. Was an arrest made? Was a citation issued? Was it "unfounded"? An "unfounded" report means the officer determined no crime actually occurred. This is a crucial distinction if you’re trying to clear your name or understand a neighborhood dispute.
Actionable Steps for Navigating the System
If you need to dig into this stuff, don't go in blind.
First, go to the Burlington Vermont official website and look for the Police Department's "Records" page. That is your home base. Before you pay for anything, check the open data portal to see if the basic info is already public.
If you are a victim of a crime, you have more rights to information than a random third party. Mention that in your request. It can sometimes speed things up or lower the cost.
Lastly, keep a log of your requests. If you're a landlord or a business owner in the Queen City, you might find yourself doing this often. Tracking the turnaround time and the incident numbers in a simple spreadsheet will save you hours of searching through your email later.
Getting a Burlington police incident report is about persistence. The system is built on rules, and as long as you play by them—and provide the right incident numbers—you can eventually get the clarity you’re looking for. Just don't expect the black ink of the redaction pen to disappear overnight.