Vermont State Police have closed an investigation into an incident that prompted the suspension of Woodstock Police Chief Joseph Swanson, with no criminal charges being brought.
Adam Silverman, a state police spokesperson, stated in an email Tuesday to VTDigger that “VSP was unable to move forward with the case due to the reported victim’s declining to cooperate with the investigation.”
Silverman added, “As a result, there was no review by the prosecutor’s office.”
Swanson was placed on paid administrative leave from his post as Woodstock’s police chief on Oct. 15 “as a precaution following a report of his alleged involvement in an incident” on Oct. 13, Woodstock Municipal Manager Eric Duffy stated in a press release last month.
Duffy at that time would not comment regarding the nature of that incident nor on Swanson’s “alleged involvement” in it. Duffy said the matter had been referred to the state police to conduct an investigation.
Swanson’s attorney, William Vasiliou of Langrock, Sperry and Wool, emailed a statement to VTDigger on Thursday morning concerning his client.
“Chief Swanson is glad that the investigation into the incident that occurred on High Street earlier this month is closed,” the statement read. “Chief Swanson wants the community to know that he fully cooperated with the investigation by VSP, and at no time was he suspected of committing any unlawful act.”
The statement added that Swanson was a witness to the incident and “acted to deescalate a situation that an unnamed person initiated during a minor traffic jam.”
As for job status as police chief, according to the statement, “(Swanson) looks forward to putting this matter behind him, and we expect that he will return to work in the very near future.”
VTDigger submitted a public records request on Oct. 18 to the town of Woodstock seeking information related to the incident.
However, late last week, through attorney Matthew Bloomer, the town withheld most of the material related to the matter. Some documents were provided but were so heavily redacted that the nature of the allegations that prompted an investigation could not be discerned.
Bloomer largely cited the then-ongoing state police investigation and the possibility that providing the material to VTDigger could impede that probe as reasons for withholding and redacting the information.
VTDigger renewed its request for the materials earlier this week after state police confirmed the probe had been closed. As of noon Thursday, the town had not provided any further information, nor did Duffy respond to a question about Swanson’s current job status.
Swanson became Woodstock’s police chief in July 2023 after having worked for the law enforcement agency for many years since first joining the force as a part-time officer in 2000.
Woodstock Police Sgt. Christopher O’Keefe has been serving as acting Woodstock police since Swanson was placed on paid administrative leave last month.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Vermont State Police probe involving Woodstock police chief ends with no criminal charges.