Burlington Council to Vote on Police Chief

The city council will consider confirming Anthony Geraci as Burlington's next permanent police chief after more than a year without one.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in People

Burlington Council to Vote on Police Chief

Live Poll

Do you trust your local police leadership to keep your community safe?

Burlington city council is expected to vote on confirming Anthony Geraci as police chief, filling a post that has been without a permanent leader for over a year. Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak announced Geraci as her nominee in October.

Why it matters

The vote would end a long period of interim leadership in Burlington's police department, with Shawn Burke, former South Burlington police chief, currently serving in the role. The decision places Geraci, who has more than a decade of leadership experience in Albany-area departments, at the center of the city's policing direction.

Burlington has gone more than a year without a permanent police chief, and Geraci brings more than ten years of leadership experience from departments in the Albany, New York, area. The council's vote on his confirmation has not yet been recorded.

The players

Anthony Geraci

Anthony Geraci is a law enforcement leader with more than a decade of experience in departments across the Albany, New York, area, nominated to lead the Burlington Police Department.

Emma Mulvaney-Stanak

Emma Mulvaney-Stanak is the mayor of Burlington, Vermont, who nominated Geraci for the police chief position and oversees the city's executive branch.

Shawn Burke

Shawn Burke is the former South Burlington police chief currently serving as interim chief of the Burlington Police Department.

The details

Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak nominated Geraci for selection based on his experience with community-led policing initiatives and effective hiring practices, according to her office. A workplace discrimination complaint filed against Geraci in a previous role was cleared by a third-party investigator, the mayor said.

Timeline

  1. October 2026: Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak announces Anthony Geraci as her nominee for police chief.

  2. November 9, 2026: Confirmation hearing and council vote on Geraci at the 6 p.m. regular council meeting.

  3. November 10, 2026: Geraci could begin as police chief the day after approval.

Market Landscape

The vote would close a leadership gap that has lasted more than a year in Burlington's police department, which has been run on an interim basis by Shawn Burke. Geraci's selection follows the mayor's emphasis on community-led policing and hiring practices.

If the council confirms Geraci, Burlington residents would see a permanent police chief in place after more than a year of interim leadership. The change would take effect the day after the vote, according to the timeline reported.

The takeaway

Permanent leadership in a city police department can shape hiring and community policing priorities for years, so the outcome of this vote is worth following closely. Residents who want to track the decision can watch the regular council meeting agenda for the scheduled confirmation hearing.

What happens next

The Burlington city council is scheduled to hold the confirmation hearing and vote on Anthony Geraci at its regular meeting on November 9, 2026, starting at 6 p.m.

Further reading

For more on local leadership appointments, see People coverage in Burlington.

Source note: This article includes information reported by My NBC5.

Live Poll

Do you trust your local police leadership to keep your community safe?