Officers resign after allegedly making fake vaccination cards

WATERBURY, Vt. — Three Vermont State Police troopers person resigned aft being accused of making fraudulent COVID-19 vaccination cards.

The department says troopers Shawn Sommers, Raymond Witkowski, and David Pfindel stepped down from the positions implicit the past respective weeks aft different serviceman raised concerns with supervisors astir their conduct.

Police accidental the erstwhile troopers are suspected of having varying roles successful the instauration of fake COVID-19 vaccination cards, which whitethorn beryllium a usurpation of national law. The details surrounding the incidental person been reported to national instrumentality enforcement and the FBI is investigating.

The manager of the Vermont State Police, Col. Matthew T. Birmingham, said successful a connection that he’s disappointed successful the troopers and that the alleged actions of the erstwhile officers impact an bonzer level of misconduct.

“If these allegations are proved to beryllium true, it is reprehensible that authorities troopers would manipulate vaccination cards successful the midst of a pandemic, erstwhile being vaccinated is 1 of the astir important steps anyone tin instrumentality to support their assemblage harmless from COVID-19,” said Birmingham.

He added the alleged behaviour does not correspond the values of the men and women of the Vermont State Police.

“Based connected an archetypal interior review, we bash not judge determination is thing much the authorities constabulary could person done to forestall this from occurring,” said Vermont Public Safety Commissioner Michael Schirling. “As soon arsenic different troopers became alert of this situation, they raised the allegations internally, and commanders took swift and decisive enactment to clasp these individuals accountable and study this substance to national authorities.”