BRISTOL — On eight days between Nov. 28 and Dec. 11 a Bristol police officer worked out of the space at Bristol Elementary School interacting with students and staff office, halls and cafeteria without incident.
Twice during that period the officer met specifically with a kindergarten class. On Nov. 29 the youngest students learned about the tools carried by officers and toured the Bristol police cruiser.
On Dec. 2 the officer took part in “show and tell,” talking to the class about what police officers do, showing and discussing what was on the uniform and what they meant, and looking at the police car.
While at the school on Dec. 8 Chief Kevin Gibbs received donation for Camp Ta-Kum-Ta in connection with the Deer Camp Beards for Cancer promotion from a resident who stopped in (see story on page 7A).
Also during that period, Bristol police conducted town contracted and directed patrols outside of the police district on eight occasions, including on Burpee, Plank, Cold Spring, Hewitt and Monkton roads.
On Wednesday, Chief Gibbs alerted the public that two counterfeit $20 bills have been recovered from a Bristol business. One was passed Tuesday and the other about a week earlier. At this time no suspect is known. The bills passed a pen test by the store but closer examination by Merchants Bank determined several security features — include the security strip and watermark — were missing. The U.S. Secret Service has been advised and investigation initiated.
In other recent activity, Bristol police:
•  On Nov. 28 went to a South Street apartment where a tenant was reporting the landlord removing the tenant’s property. Police determined that several items belonging to the tenant were removed unlawfully and told the landlord to stop the removal, contact the State Attorney’s Office for clarification on the law and resolve the issue with the tenant or risk criminal prosecution.
•  On Nov. 28 helped Vermont State Police look for the perpetrator of an assault in the Plank Road area.
•  On Nov. 28 recovered a dog found wandering on Route 116 and returned it to the owner after fees were paid.
•  On Nov. 28 at 1 a.m. issued parking warnings to several vehicles on West Street that were parked blocking the sidewalk.
•  On Nov. 30 received a report that someone had kicked a resident’s dog while the owner was walking the animal.
•  On Nov. 30 stopped a vehicle on Prince Lane for a defective equipment. During the stop the officer arrested Eric Patton, 31, of Huntington and cited him for possession of narcotics and arrested Justin Barner, 41, of Huntington on a warrant for sale of heroin. Barner was lodged for lack of bail. Patton was cited and released.
•  On Nov. 30 Chief Kevin Gibbs conducted training with administrative staff on new duties to free up sworn officers for patrol duties.
•  On Nov. 30 responded to a two-car crash with no injuries at Champlain Farms.
•  On Nov. 30 at 11:45 p.m. found multiple pieces of plywood in the middle of North Street that had blown into the road from a construction site. The plywood was removed from the road.
•  On Dec. 1 at 12:45 a.m. an officer took a mandatory National Crime Information Center training exam on-line.
•  On Dec. 1 noted that a traffic light near the town offices was damaged by high winds the night before and notified the road foreman and town office staff.
•  On Dec. 1 went to Mount Abraham Union High School where two male students were reportedly disrupting classes. Both had been brought under control by staff prior to police arrival. One of the students was escorted out of the building where a parent picked him up. The second student worked with staff on plan to address behavior.
•  On Dec. 1 were informed of an assault investigation by Vermont Department of Children and Families. An interview with the involved parties was scheduled for a later date.
•  On Dec. 2 received a report of children walking on North Street with an adult who were not dressed properly for the weather. Police checked the area but no one fitting the description was found.
•  On Dec. 2 assist the Starksboro Fire Department at crash scene in Starksboro with two occupants entrapped until the Vermont State Police arrived and took control of the situation.
•  On Dec. 3 at 7 a.m. responded to a report of an assault at a Taylor Avenue residence. The complainant provided a sworn statement indicating he had been living in a guest bedroom of the home of Jim Edwin Peabody Jr., 54, for several weeks and during a verbal altercation that morning Peabody grabbed him by the arm and throat.
Police took Peabody into custody, cited him for first-degree aggravated domestic assault and lodged him at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility after a Judge bail set at $500.
•  On Dec. 3 confiscated a marijuana pipe with a hit of marijuana in it from an individual at a West Street business.
•  On Dec. 5 assisted Vermont State Police by responding to a rollover crash on Plank Road, where the operator was reportedly trapped in the vehicle. The Bristol officer extricated the uninjured driver and obtained information for the responding trooper.
•  On Dec. 5 were notified of a suspicious incident that had occurred downtown on Dec. 3, when a female was approached by an unknown male who requested her contact information in a manner that made her feel uncomfortable. The police are attempting to identify the man.
•  On Dec. 6 assisted a state police trooper with an active investigation into the furnishing of alcohol to minors. Video of the adult purchasing alcohol for minors was obtained and provided to the trooper, and the state police cited offender.
•  On Dec. 6 at approximately 1750 an officer completed a Vehicle Identification Number verification for a Garfield Street resident without incident.
•  On Dec. 6 conducted checks of district businesses, no problems found.
•  On Dec. 7 assisted in an investigation as part of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. As Bristol police are not the primary investigating agency in the active investigation no additional information can be released at this time.
•  On Dec. 7 the chief attended the 2016 Impaired Driving Summit in South Burlington. The focus was on cannabis and public safety as it relates to impaired driving.
•  On Dec. 7 assisted a trooper in Lincoln at a possible burglary in progress. The Bristol officer was canceled in route by the trooper who advised the residence was secure.
•  On Dec. 8 an officer attended the monthly multi-disciplinary meeting at the Addison County Unit for Special Investigations.
•  On Dec. 8 the chief attended a meeting with Mount Abe staff, service providers and family of a truant student to develop a plan to improve attendance. The student participated and agreed to the plan.
•  On Dec. 8 at 1937 responded to Lawrence Lane for a report that a resident could not park in their driveway. The officer found there were no illegally parked vehicles.
•  On Dec. 9 at 7:49 a.m. received a report of a possible road rage incident. A Bristol woman said she encountered a man jaywalking on Main Street and believed the man then chased her in a vehicle northbound out of the village to the junction of Routes 116 and 17. Neither the man nor his vehicle was identified.
•  On Dec. 9 attended a meeting with Mount Abe staff along with service providers to assist a family with a truancy issue. A plan was discussed to improve attendance.
•  On Dec. 9 at 3:47 p.m. an officer saw two great danes wandering around cars on Main Street. The dogs’ owner was identified and the officer secured the dogs in the owner’s vehicle.
•  On Dec. 10 stopped a vehicle on Monkton Road for an equipment violation and ended up issuing the driver a ticket for possession of marijuana and a warning for the equipment violation.
•  On Dec. 11 patrolled the Main Street business district on foot without incident.
•  On Dec. 11 conducted winter parking ban patrol. One vehicle was ticketed and towed when it was found parked on Main Street in violation of the winter ban.
The Bristol Police Department is teaming up with the Middlebury Police Department for their annual holiday toy drive. Anyone wishing to donate toys can deliver them to either department over the next couple of weeks.
The toys will be delivered by uniformed officers on Christmas Day to children and families throughout Addison County.
The police departments of Middlebury and Bristol invite local residents to join them in delivering a positive Christmas experience to families and children in need throughout our communities.