The chief of police in Vermont’s largest city is on the mend following serious injuries last month.
Chief Brandon del Pozo of the Burlington Police Department suffered a concussion, broken bones, and bad scrapes in mid-June when he lost control of his bicycle in the Adirondacks of New York.
No one else was involved in the crash.
Del Pozo was treated in the intensive care unit at the University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington, and Deputy Chief Jan Wright was named as Burlington’s acting chief while del Pozo recovers.
The chief said he recently started coming into the office part-time, including for a swearing-in ceremony Friday for new probationary officers. Five new officers are joining the force in Burlington.
Del Pozo told necn he looks forward to serving the people of Burlington again full-time soon.
"My helmet saved my life," del Pozo said. "There’s a long list of things that require healing, and thankfully, all of those are things that will just take a little time—some more than others. And every day I’m feeling better."
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Del Pozo thanked the staff at the UVM Medical Center and the office of Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger for their support.
Additionally, del Pozo said he is extremely grateful to the Burlington community for their cards, emails, and well-wishes, and said that is a reflection of how nice a city Burlington is.
The chief said he does plan to return, in time, to bicycling and skiing.
As for the department’s probationary officers, they report to the Vermont Police Academy in Pittsford Monday, Acting Chief Wright said, for 16 weeks of training.
A civilian employee—a data analyst—also took the oath of office Friday as she joined the Burlington Police Department.
