Woodstock Police Department

WOODSTOCK — Chief Robbie Blish wishes to provide the following statement:  “Early this morning, a member of the Woodstock Police Department was arrested by Vermont State Police on a charge of driving under the influence following an incident in another community.  “In accordance with our department’s policies and procedures, the individual has been placed on paid administrative leave and will remain on leave pending the outcome of the criminal case as well as a subsequent internal affairs investigation. “We are committed to supporting Vermont State Police’s investigation to the fullest extent needed, and will likewise thoroughly review this matter upon

Chief Robbie Blish reports that with the number of traffic fatalities increasing, the Woodstock Police Department will be participating in the Governor’s Highway Safety Holiday DUI Campaign during the next two weeks. Road fatalities have increased in the past two years. Seventy-one people have been killed in traffic accidents this year, putting Vermont on a pace to have the highest number of deaths since 2012. Driver impairment, speed, failure to use seatbelts, and distracted driving continue to be leading causes for these tragedies. With these numbers in mind, the Woodstock Police Department will be participating in the Governor’s Highway Safety

Chief Robbie Blish and the Woodstock Police Department are pleased to share that officers, dispatchers and police staff were recognized for exceptional work during an awards banquet on Dec. 2. During the annual awards ceremony Officers, Dispatchers and Police Department staff were recognized for their actions and efforts from the past year, with several awards being presented for responses to a June 14 homicide on Slayton Terrace. Medal of Honor: Sgt. Joseph Swanson Sgt. Swanson was the first officer at the scene of a homicide at Slayton Terrace on June 14, 2022. Sgt. Swanson, knowing that a gunman was still

WOODSTOCK — Chief Robbie Blish is pleased to share that the Woodstock Police Department is still accepting toy donations for children in need following a successful “stuff-a-cruiser” event over the weekend.  Members of the Woodstock community who attended the Wassail parade on Saturday, Dec. 10, collectively donated 50 toys to the department’s effort, which will in turn be donated to the Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program. Residents who were unable to attend the parade can still donate by dropping a new, unwrapped toy in the drop box at the Emergency Services Building, 454 Woodstock Road. Donations can be

WOODSTOCK — Chief Robbie Blish wishes to provide the following statement regarding the findings of the Vermont Attorney General’s Office in its investigation into an officer-involved shooting in Woodstock earlier this year. 

WOODSTOCK — Chief Robbie Blish and the Woodstock Police Department would like to share safety tips during National Preparedness Month. September is observed as National Preparedness Month. This campaign was produced to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies. Disasters can happen when you least expect it and being prepared can help you and your families in emergencies. Residents and community members are encouraged to go to the the Vermont Alert website to sign-up for free emergency notifications. The Woodstock Police Department would like to share the following information about making a plan and building an emergency preparedness

WOODSTOCK — Chief Robbie Blish wishes to share that the Woodstock Police Department is participating in a regional effort to reduce speeding communities throughout Vermont and beyond.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched its “Slow Down New England” campaign in late July in order to raise awareness of the dangers of speeding and encourage drivers to take it slow on the roads.  In 2020, there were 11,258 people killed in speeding-related crashes, accounting for 29% of all fatal crashes in the United States, which represented a 17% increase from 2019 despite a sharp decline in the amount of

WOODSTOCK 一 Chief Robbie Blish and the Woodstock Police Department would like to remind residents to properly secure their vehicles to prevent break-ins and avoid being easy targets for thieves this season. The summer season is most popular for vehicle thefts and break-ins, and July is recognized by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as National Vehicle Theft Prevention Month. According to the NHTSA, there were 721,885 motor vehicles stolen in the U.S. in 2019, one was stolen every 43.8 seconds. Only 56.1% of all stolen vehicles were recovered. Additionally, the NHTSA warns that vehicle parts and valuable items

New Three-Digit Phone Number 988 to Take Effect July 16 WOODSTOCK — Chief Robbie Blish and the Woodstock Police Department wish to share information regarding the new National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number, 988, which will take effect on Saturday, July 16.  The 988 dialing code will become the new national number routing callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline across the U.S. on July 16. The new phone line will be accessible 24/7/365 by call or text.  The new number was designated by Congress in 2020. Similar to calling 911 for emergency response, the three-digit number is easy to remember