FAIRLEE — Vergennes Police Chief George Merkel was recently elected as president of the Vermont Association of Chiefs of Police and honored for service to the association.
Merkel was chosen on May 29 as the new head of the association at its annual convention, which was held at the Lake Morey Inn in Fairlee.
According to outgoing president Doug Johnston, Springfield’s police chief, Merkel will serve a one-year term that will expire at the 2015 convention.
The association’s five-dozen members also chose Merkel to receive its annual award for work on behalf of the association. Johnston said it goes to “the chief, during that year, that made the best contribution, or the most contribution, to the chiefs’ association.”
Johnston said the chiefs were especially impressed with Merkel’s “active role” to persuade lawmakers not to legalize marijuana, as well as “being fairly new to the chiefs’ association, stepping up to the plate.”
Johnston said a main focus of the association is “educating our senators and representatives so they can make sound decisions on the laws,” as well as promoting cooperation and free exchange of information among law enforcement agencies, encouraging friendship among police officers, and educating the public.
An additional goal during the upcoming year will be establishing a self-sustaining scholarship fund, he said.