After hearing two days of testimony, the Vermont Criminal Justice Council on Wednesday found that Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore violated the state’s use-of-force policy and voted 15-1 to permanently remove his ability to enforce the law in Vermont.
“There was no remorse on the part of the sheriff, who is the supervisor, and the council wanted to make a statement about the standards it expects of law enforcement in the state, and the beauty of it is that law enforcement voted yes,” said Bill Sorrell, chairman of the Vermont Criminal Justice Council, according to WPTZ.
Grismore will not lose his job as sheriff, but he will no longer be able to issue tickets, make arrests or investigate crimes. He said he plans to appeal.
“Demonstrating to law enforcement officers that they will lose their careers if they try to assist and intervene with unruly and dangerous individuals will have an extreme chilling effect,” said his attorney, Robert Kaplan.
Grismore was elected sheriff in November last year despite being fired from his job as a captain in the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department in August after a video surfaced of him kicking a shackled prisoner. He pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanour battery charge.
Shortly before he took office in February, state police said they were investigating the finances of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and Grismore. He also faces the results of an investigation by a special committee of the Vermont legislature formed to investigate his possible impeachment. The committee is due to meet on Monday.