MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - Vermont Capitol Police say a lockdown at the Department of Taxes that began when an umbrella being carried by a passer-by was mistaken for a gun exposed gaps in their response plan.
The Aug. 30 lockdown drew 40 local, state and federal law enforcement officers from across Vermont, while state employees stayed in their offices for hours.
WCAX-TV reports responding police say they had issues with their radios and communicating across different agencies.
Police Chief Matthew Romei says there was a radio dead-zone in a complex of old tunnels and the granite buildings can block both radio and cellphone communication.
Police have identified a solution, a new $50,000 repeater that can connect all agencies on a singular channel, but it’s unclear who will pay for it.
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Information from: WCAX-TV, http://www.wcax.com
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