The Vermont State Police are investigating allegations that off-duty troopers used racist and offensive language while playing an online game.
The allegations were first reported by VTDigger.org on Thursday afternoon.
According to the online outlet, at least two troopers attended a gathering at a trooper’s home to play Mad Verse City, an online rap battle game. Eight people participated, but it’s unclear how many were state troopers, VTDigger reported.
The troopers allegedly wrote verses that used homophobic and misogynistic language and racist slurs, including the N-word, according to VTDigger’s reporting, which included screenshots of the game play. One particularly graphic line said, “I’ll fuck your mom to shreds.”
State police became aware of the allegations on Monday, when Vermont Sen. Nader Hashim (D-Windham), a former state trooper, contacted the barracks on behalf of an unnamed constituent. The complaint made its way to Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison, who oversees the state police.
Quoting from emails, VTDigger reported that Morrison did not immediately launch an investigation. “At this time, Commissioner Morrison has declined to open an internal investigation into this matter citing a lack of sufficient information,” reads a lieutenant’s reply, VTDigger reported. The story was headlined “After receiving report of off-duty racism and misogyny by Vermont troopers, public safety chief initially declined to take action.” Morrison issued a rebuttal on Thursday evening, charging that VTDigger’s coverage omitted that state police had emailed Hashim and the tipster to encourage them to submit more information so she could revisit the matter.
“At no time did I or anyone else within the state police suggest that an investigation would not be opened; we advised only that additional information was necessary,” Morrison’s statement says. “Once that information was received, we immediately launched a formal internal investigation.”
In a statement to Seven Days on Thursday evening, VTDigger editor in chief Paul Heintz defended the outlet’s reporting and said Morrison refused interview requests prepublication.
“The story explains quite clearly what information she had when she initially declined to investigate and what she subsequently learned,” Heintz wrote.
Seven Days has requested public records, including email exchanges on the matter.
State police spokesperson Adam Silverman declined to say how many troopers are being investigated by the Office of Internal Affairs, citing confidentiality, but said none are on paid leave.
Morrison will consult with the State Police Advisory Commission after the probe is complete and will “provide whatever information we can, in accordance with the law, to the public,” her statement says.
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This article appears in The Love & Marriage Issue 2023.
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