[VT] Hinesburg Police Officer Barrows resigns after domestic charge (so internal investigation halts)

A Hinesburg police officer accused of pushing his girlfriend to the floor during a dispute Monday night has resigned... "[Hinesburg police officer Robert] Barrows considered his options in light of the current [domestic assault] charges pending against him"....

He resigns - then the internal investigation stops and no report will ever exist with Hinesville Police. What was he afraid that they would find? If he can get these charges off of him he will back in uniform.

OFFICER ACCUSED OF DOMESTIC ASSAULT
WCAX - Hinesburg, Vermont
January 11, 2011
[Excerpts] A Hinesburg police officer finds himself on the wrong side of the law. On Monday night Officer Robert Barrows was arrested for attacking his girlfriend. A charge he denies. The alleged assault occurred at the couple's Hinesburg home. When police responded they learned that the man accused in a domestic disturbance was one of their own. "It's our policy because we're such a small department and we want to make sure that every employee is treated impartially and fairly so I immediately contacted the Vermont State Police," said Chief Fred Silber, Hinesburg police department... "He has not been disciplined yet because we are still in the process of determining really everything that happened. But I personally relieved him of duty." Barrows is currently on paid administrative leave. As long as the criminal and internal investigations are going on, Barrows will get a paycheck... "We supposed to look up to people like that," said Jessi Rushford of Hinesburg, "If they are the ones going off doing things how are we suppose to look to them for advice and ways to act." - "People should be safe. That's what the police are supposed to do. So if they aren't doing it at home then how can they go out and protect and serve," said Todd Weaver of Monkton... Barrows used to be an officer in Shelburne. There he was cleared in a controversial case for shooting a drunk driver in the back who had hit him with his car and was fleeing from the scene. Now it's up to the Hinesburg select board. It will have the final say on Barrow's fate. In a closed door meeting on Tuesday night, board members determined that they still need more information... [Full article here]http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=13827471

..."If they are the ones going off doing things how are we suppose to look to them for advice and ways to act"...

HINESBURG OFFICER CHARGED IN DOMESTIC ASSAULT
Burlington Free Press
By Matt Ryan
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
[Excerpts] The town is reviewing the conduct of a Hinesburg police officer accused of pushing his girlfriend to the floor during a dispute Monday night. Officer Robert Barrows III, 34, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington to a misdemeanor count of domestic assault. Judge James Crucitti ordered Barrows released on conditions... [Chairman Jonathan Trefry] said the Selectboard will not take any action until it learns the results of Silber's internal investigation... Vermont State Police have investigated Barrows before. In February 2009, while working as a Shelburne police office, Barrows fired six or seven shots at a drunken driver, hitting him once in the lower back... A review by the Attorney General's Office and the state police determined Barrows had acted appropriately... [Full article here]

..."People should be safe. That's what the police are supposed to do. So if they aren't doing it at home then how can they go out and protect and serve"...

HINESBURG POLICE OFFICER ACCUSED OF DOMESTIC ASSAULT RESIGNS
Burlington Free Press
By Matt Ryan
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
[Excerpts] A Hinesburg police officer accused of pushing his girlfriend to the floor during a dispute Monday night has resigned. Robert Barrows III, 34, tendered his resignation Tuesday night, hours after pleading not guilty in Vermont Superior Court in Burlington to a misdemeanor count of domestic assault. "Barrows considered his options in light of the current charges pending against him," the Hinesburg police department said Wednesday in an e-mail. "This, coupled with his probationary status with the department, led him to the conclusion that it would be in his best interest to take this action"... [Full article here]
[police officer involved domestic violence oidv intimate partner violence (IPV) abuse law enforcement public safety vermont state]