Highly Respected Shelburne Police Chief Mike Thomas Dies
Thomas helped rebuild the police department, which had seen more than 15 officers and emergency dispatchers leave the department in the months prior to Thomas being named acting chief in December 2021
By Michael Donoghue. Vermont News First
SHELBURNE — The town of Shelburne is mourning the death of town Police Chief Michael Thomas on Monday.
Thomas had fought a couple of courageous battles with cancer off-and-on for several years, but succumbed on Monday evening, officials said.
Thomas had spent two dozen years in law enforcement, including three years as police chief in Shelburne.
No funeral arrangements were announced by officials.
Thomas took over a troubled department when former Police Chief Aaron Noble took a leave of absence after town officials said they had lost faith in his work. Noble took a buyout in March 2022 that cost taxpayers nearly $200,000 in pay and benefits.
Thomas helped rebuild the police department, which had seen more than 15 officers and emergency dispatchers leave the department in the months prior to Thomas being named acting chief in December 2021.
He began his Vermont law enforcement career in early 1991 at the short-lived Stamford Police Department on the Massachusetts state line.
After completing the full-time Vermont Police Academy, Thomas made the jump to the University of Vermont Police. He later was promoted to sergeant.
Thomas also had worked part-time for the Shelburne Police Department and eventually accepted a full-time post in 2009 from then-Chief James Warden. Thomas served as a lieutenant for three years.
In recent weeks, Shelburne has been conducting interviews to find a new lieutenant to serve as the Number 2 command person for the police department.
When he took the helm, Thomas had to build the department, which had been working without a contract, back up.
The department was authorized 12 full-time officers but was down to five active full-time members conducting patrols: Thomas, two sergeants, a corporal, and one retired Vermont State Trooper, who was still in his probationary period with the town.
The shortage of staffing forced the town to contract with the Vermont State Police to handle some violent crimes and other serious calls at night.
With a new union contract, Thomas built the department back up to a 24/7 agency, but had lost some officers in recent years to other police department that were offering better pay and benefits.