Attorney General: No problem at Bellows Falls police

BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont attorney general's office said Monday it had reviewed a complaint made against the Bellows Falls Police Department and determined there was no evidence of police misconduct.

The original complaint alleged that Detective Mario Checchi had improperly notified the target of a search warrant before the search was carried out, the office said in a news release.

The attorney general's office said it had reviewed the materials provided by the Vermont State Police, which investigated the complaint, and “found no credible evidence to support the allegation of misconduct.”

A message left at the department seeking comment was not immediately returned Monday.

Windham County State's Attorney Tracy Shriver has said she asked for an investigation of the Bellow Falls Police Department last July. She did not say why, but she said such a request isn't common.

The police department has been understaffed for close to a year and officers are working hundreds of hours in overtime.

There's also been frequent turnover. A new acting department chief, Sgt. David Bemis, was named last week.