Burlington Police Officer Charged with Reckless Endangerment

AG: Vermont Press Releases

Filed March 27th, 2026

Detected March 28th, 2026

Summary

The Vermont Attorney General's Office announced criminal charges against Burlington Police Officer Jeffrey Baur for reckless endangerment following an officer-involved shooting on August 10, 2025. Officer Baur was arraigned on two misdemeanor counts, and the court ordered he have no contact with the two minors involved.

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What changed

The Vermont Attorney General's Office has filed two misdemeanor charges of Reckless Endangerment against Burlington Police Officer Jeffrey Baur. These charges stem from an officer-involved shooting on August 10, 2025, where Officer Baur discharged a firearm towards two minors. The Attorney General's review concluded that the use of deadly force was not justified under Vermont law, leading to the criminal charges, which were concurred with by the Chittenden County State's Attorney.

Officer Baur pleaded not guilty and was released with a condition prohibiting contact with the minors. This action signifies a significant enforcement action against a law enforcement officer for conduct during an incident. Compliance officers should note the AG's emphasis on the presumption of innocence while recognizing the serious nature of the charges and the independent review process undertaken by state authorities.

What to do next

Review internal use-of-force policies and training protocols.
Monitor legal proceedings related to Officer Baur's case.
Ensure compliance with any new guidance or directives issued by the Vermont AG's office regarding law enforcement conduct.

Penalties

Misdemeanor counts of Reckless Endangerment

Source document (simplified)

Burlington Police Officer Charged with Reckless Endangerment in Non-Lethal, Officer-Involved Shooting

Category Press Releases March 27, 2026 The Attorney General’s Office announced that Burlington Police Officer Jeffrey Baur, 34, was arraigned today on two misdemeanor counts of Reckless Endangerment.

The charges are the result of Attorney General Charity Clark’s review of an investigation conducted by Vermont State Police into an officer-involved shooting that occurred on August 10, 2025, on Prospect Hill Road in Burlington, Vermont. After careful consideration of the facts and circumstances in this matter, and consistent with Vermont law, the Attorney General’s Office concluded that Officer Baur was not justified in his use of deadly force, which resulted in the discharge of a firearm towards two minors. Having concluded that the use of deadly force was not justified and based on the evidence, the Attorney General filed these criminal charges.

Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George also conducted an independent review of the incident and concurred with the filing of criminal charges based on Officer Baur’s actions during this incident.

Officer Baur pleaded not guilty at his arraignment today in Vermont Superior Court, Chittenden Criminal Division. The Court, Judge Timothy Doherty, presiding, ordered a condition of release requiring that Officer Baur have no contact with the two minors.

The Attorney General emphasizes that individuals charged with a crime are legally presumed innocent until their guilt is proven beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

CONTACT: Amelia Vath, Senior Advisor to the Attorney General, 802-828-3171