The Vermont State Police announced on Thursday that Sergeant Lucas Hall was suspended without payment pending an internal investigation into social media posts that “appear to support the criminal insurgency that has taken place” on the United States Capitol and “defend the continuity of the insurgency “.
Public Security Commissioner Michael Schirling released the statement and said the VSP received reports on the messages on Thursday morning.
“While we recognize the rights of all people, including sworn police officers, to express their opinions, defending the overthrow of the democratic electoral process defined by the constitution by force or violence violates our pledge to defend the constitution,” said Schirling.
Schirling said the sergeant, who was in the southern Shaftsbury barracks, is now under investigation and the results are expected within a few days.
Schirling said that Hall’s actions, “if true, caused Vermonters pain and anguish during an already indescribably stressful period of our national history and that is why we are sad and sorry.”
“It is important to state in the strongest terms that these positions in no way reflect the beliefs and values of the Vermont State Police or its dedicated soldiers and officials, who work every day to defend the Constitution and the rule of law,” Said Schirling.
Vermont Attorney General TJ Donovan, in a statement to VTDigger, asked Hall to step down.
“This soldier needs to be fired or resign immediately,” said Donovan. “You cannot have a policeman calling for the violent overthrow of our government. He has lost my confidence, he has lost the confidence of the public. This is completely unacceptable.”
Joining Donovan, a Democrat, in his condemnation of President Donald Trump’s role in fomenting Capitol unrest was moderate Republican governor Phil Scott, who condemned Trump shortly after Tuesday’s unrest.
“President Trump orchestrated a campaign to cause an insurrection that nullifies the results of a free, fair and legal election,” said Scott, calling for Trump’s removal by impeachment or the 25th Amendment.
A spokesman for Scott did not immediately respond to a request from NBC News to comment on the soldier’s suspension.
Hall did not answer calls to numbers listed for him on Friday, and the Vermont Troopers Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
