Burlington Mayor Selects Anthony Geraci to Lead Police Department

Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak selected Anthony Geraci on Monday as the next chief of the Burlington Police Department.

Geraci, a former chief in upstate New York, brings decades of law enforcement experience to the role. He began his career in 1998 with the New York City Police Department. He then spent approximately 15 years with the Albany Police Department, where he held various leadership positions. Following his time in Albany, he served as police chief in Watervliet and later in Newburgh. His most recent position before this appointment was with Strategic Government Resources, a recruitment firm based in Texas.

The mayor’s office confirmed the choice after an extensive review process. A 12-person hiring committee, which included City Councilors Buddy Singh and Melo Grant, helped narrow the field from 15 applicants to three finalists. The committee assisted the mayor in selecting Geraci. Mulvaney-Stanak stated that her administration had been working to introduce Geraci to council members and the Police Commission. She planned to present him to the wider community within the week to share details about his background and professional skills.

Geraci’s career in leadership roles has included periods of scrutiny and dispute. In spring 2020, he was furloughed by Watervliet due to budget shortfalls. The city described the move as financially driven rather than political. However, the Watervliet Police Benevolent Association supported Geraci, arguing that his departure was personal in nature. The union suggested the city tried to hide this reason behind financial burdens, according to reports from the Times Union. He was not asked to return to his position in Watervliet.

Geraci moved to Newburgh in 2021 to serve as police chief. He left that post in 2024 after three women filed complaints. The allegations included gender discrimination, retaliation, and a hostile work environment. An independent investigation cleared him of official wrongdoing. One woman interviewed for that probe described him as an arrogant narcissist who has a problem with women. Geraci maintained at the time that the claims were part of a smear campaign against him.

After leaving Newburgh, Geraci took a security oversight role for the local school district in May 2024. He resigned from that position in February 2025. He cited the resignation of the superintendent and sudden changes in district leadership as reasons for his departure, noting that the new direction no longer aligned with his personal values.

The appointment comes during a period of significant change for the Burlington Police Department. Former Chief Jon Murad resigned last year following clashes with the mayor over public safety strategy. Interim Chief Shawn Burke has led the department since then. Burke has noted that recruiting new officers has been difficult due to the political environment in Burlington. The number of officers on staff has dropped from 92 in July 2020 to 55 as of August. The City Council will vote on Geraci’s appointment at a regular meeting on November 9.

Vermont News First first reported that Geraci was the mayor’s choice, citing multiple anonymous sources. Seven Days independently confirmed the selection. The process has remained confidential until this announcement. The mayor had not yet completed an extensive background check at the time of the announcement, but all city council members had been briefed on the decision.