Addison County State’s Attorney Eva Vekos won’t appear in person at an upcoming meeting with the county’s police chiefs, telling them in an email she doesn’t feel safe around law enforcement anymore. The message came about a week after Vekos was arrested by Vermont State Police for allegedly driving drunk to a crime scene.
Vekos initially emailed police chiefs in Addison County on Tuesday to clarify procedures for sending cases to her office, according to emails obtained through a public records request. VTDigger first reported the email sent by Vekos.
Lt. Thomas Mozzer, the commander of the Vermont State Police barracks in New Haven, in an email on Tuesday suggested Vekos talk about the updated instructions at an upcoming meeting.
In her reply on Wednesday morning, Vekos said she’d be “happy to do so” at the meeting, but told the chiefs that she wouldn’t be there in person.
“However, please note that because I no longer feel safe around law enforcement I will join the next Chiefs’ meeting by video,” Vekos wrote in the email.
“This safety issue will conflict with the plan for me to do educational trainings,” she added. “Its (sic) too bad, I would have loved to teach grammar skills to bring police up to the elementary school level, at least. I found a really great illustrated book to use. It has pictures of dragons and stuff.”
Vekos didn’t respond to a phone message or email request for comment. Her attorney didn’t respond to a request for comment either.
In interviews on Thursday, three police chiefs who received that email said they found Vekos’ response inappropriate.
“I found it unprofessional to say the least and, and offensive to law enforcement in the county,” said Middlebury Police Chief Jason Covey in an interview. “I will hope this wouldn't impact their acceptance of our cases for prosecution.”
According to the emails, Vekos apologized about an hour after sending the email and after Mozzer, with the state police, wrote that her message was “completely unprofessional and disappointing to see.”
Vekos was arrested by state police last Thursday after she allegedly arrived at a crime scene smelling of alcohol and slurring her speech. She refused to take a field sobriety test and was taken to the New Haven state police barracks, where she was processed and received a citation to appear in court on Feb. 12.
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