The Vermont Criminal Justice Council voted 15-1 on Wednesday

The Vermont Criminal Justice Council voted 15-1 on Wednesday afternoon to permanently revoke the law enforcement certification for Franklin County Sheriff John Grismore due to his excessive force in kicking an intoxicated unruly shackled prisoner in August 2022.  Council Chairman WIlliam H. Sorrell said after the vote he expects the revocation will be effective in about two weeks once the paperwork is completed. The revocation means Grismore will be prohibited from carrying out any certified law enforcement duties. Grismore will still be free to continue to serve the residents of Franklin County as their duly elected sheriff overseeing the administration of the department. He also can conduct any official duties that are not certified through the justice council.  Defense lawyer Robert Kaplan of Burlington said he and his client were disappointed with the outcome of the two-day hearing. “We are currently evaluating our options for an appeal,” Kaplan said after the hearing adjourned. “We believe this result will have a chilling effect on law enforcement throughout Vermont,” Kaplan said. The motion to revoke Grismore’s certification was made by former Rutland Mayor Christopher Louras, who is an appointee to the council by Gov. Phil Scott. The justice council, which deliberated behind closed doors, came back into public session and approved a preliminary motion, 16-0, that the incident was a violation of the state’s use-of-force policy. The second motion was to set the penalty.