Wednesday, January 13, 2021
Law Enforcement
Vermont State Trooper Quits Amid Probe of His Posts About D.C. Insurgency
click to enlarge - Courtesy of Vermont State Police
- Sgt. Lucas Hall
A Vermont State Police sergeant resigned Tuesday night amid an investigation into Facebook posts he'd made apparently in support of last week's siege of the U.S. Capitol.
Department of Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling had placed Lucas Hall, a trooper out of the Shaftsbury barracks, on unpaid leave last Thursday after the posts came to light.
News of Hall's resignation first broke in a Senate Judiciary Committee meeting on Wednesday morning.
"I just got a text message that Sgt. Hall resigned from the Vermont State Police," Sen. Dick Sears (D-Bennington) told fellow senators.
"Good," Sen. Jeanette White (D-Windham) replied.
Among those calling for Hall's ouster had been Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan, who said the trooper's sentiments were not compatible with a job in law enforcement.
“God Bless America!!!!" Hall had apparently written on Facebook. “Cheers to the great Patriots in Washington D.C.
“The time has come… Let’s gooooo!!!”
Someone replied to his post by writing, “there are going to be riots,” beside a sad-face emoji.
“It might be war…” Hall responded. “We are beginning to see good, law-abiding citizens stand against a corrupted Government.”
✖By Tuesday night, before the investigation was completed, Hall resigned.
"His unconditional resignation was immediately accepted," Schirling said in a statement. "The details of the investigation will be forwarded to the Vermont Criminal Justice Council pursuant to Act 56 for consideration of sanctions, including decertification."
Derek Brouwer contributed reporting.
Tags: Lucas Hall, Vermont State Police, U.S. Capitol, resignation, Web Only, Image
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Sasha Goldstein
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Sasha Goldstein is Seven Days' deputy news editor.