ST. JOHNSBURY – Caledonia County Sheriff Brandon Thrailkill’s plan to stabilize the department has taken a step forward with the addition of three veteran law enforcement officers
The three deputies are Orleans County residents, who have left the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department to sign on with Thrailkill.
Since he took over the position on April 30, Thrailkill has announced he plans to move forward with a plan for a new patrol division developed by Sheriff James Hemmod, who he replaced after Hemmond died in March.
The patrol division of two to four officers would help the department serve the 10 towns it is under contract to provide law enforcement coverage for. Thrailkill has said the department hasn’t been able to provide full coverage for those towns as staffing has dropped from more than 25 people in 2019 to fewer than 10 before the recent hires.
That coverage includes patrol time in Walden to supplement Vermont State Police coverage.
Joining the department are Deputy Tom Hanlon, who spent 25 years with the Vermont State Police and the last 18 with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department, where he’s provided security at the courthouse.
Deputy Dale Woodworth worked with the U.S. Border Patrol for 23 years before his last three with the Orleans Sheriff. And Deputy Doug Morrill was with the Orleans Sheriff for the last eight years.
In a recent Caledonia Record story, the new officers expressed discontent over inconsistencies in pay and a lack of training in their former positions with the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.
Thrailkill said the three new deputies will mostly provide courthouse security as he works to hire other deputies for patrol duties and provide training for those already working for the department to fill that role.
The department is currently advertising for five part-time deputies.
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
