Burlington names Anthony Geraci as top pick for police chief

Burlington residents are set to gain a new police chief with deep ties to New York law enforcement. City officials have identified Anthony W. Geraci as the finalist for the top position at the Burlington Police Department.

Multiple sources familiar with the confidential hiring process told Vermont News First that Geraci is the final choice of Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak. The search for a permanent replacement for Chief Jon Murad, who departed in April 2025, involved a national review that generated 15 applications by a June 5 deadline. Geraci was one of three out-of-state finalists selected from that pool, as no serious candidates applied from within Vermont.

Geraci, 49, holds 24 years of municipal experience in New York. He began his career as a cadet with the New York City Police in 1998 before serving 16 years with the Albany Police Department. In that role, he rose to lieutenant and oversaw patrol, training, and the neighborhood engagement unit. He later served as police chief for Watervliet, N.Y., from July 2019 to May 2020, and subsequently led the Newburgh Police Department from August 2021 to May 2024.

The mayor plans to ask the Burlington City Council to affirm the appointment at a meeting on Nov. 9. Mulvaney-Stanak indicated via text message on Sunday that the appointment is not on the agenda for Monday's council meeting. She has stated she hopes to make the new chief's name public in early November. A background check and lie detector test remain conditions of the conditional offer.

The position carries a salary of up to $177,255 annually plus benefits. Geraci has been visiting Burlington in recent weeks while the background review proceeds. He previously worked as a senior vice president of leadership development for Strategic Government Resources, a Texas-based firm. His academic credentials include a Bachelor of Science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a Master of Public Administration from Marist College.

The incoming chief will take over a department facing a staffing shortage. In June 2020, the City Council voted 9-3 to reduce authorized sworn officer strength from 105 to 74. Interim Chief Shawn Burke, who returned to the role in April 2025, has managed the transition. Burke previously served as police chief in South Burlington for seven years before his two-year stint in Burlington.

Geraci's career in Newburgh included a period where the city manager imposed a communication protocol requiring police press releases to pass through City Hall. He resigned from Newburgh in May 2024 to become director of safety and security for the Newburgh Enlarged City School District, a role he left in March 2025. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police.