Having recently arrived in Brattleboro , the new Chief of Police in Brattleboro was asked for help by a desperately worried mother . Her child was being bullied in school , could the Chief help ?
Norma Hardy , the Chief , sought out the Director of the Brattleboro Library , Starr Latronica . Why ? The literate and very goodhearted Chief believes in the power of books . “ Books are a tool to reach someone ,” she said .
The two women collaborated , gathered kids ’ books to give tools to the child , as well as history books and books for the Mom to support her efforts . Books on strong women , and how to handle being bullied . The Chief and The Librarian partnered in a story worthy of its own children ’ s book . This struck me as an unusual , personal touch from a chief of police .
Chief Norma Hardy is , as Starr puts it , “ A good egg .”
The Chief brings her caring to almost every aspect of her job , is hands-on , involved and enthusiastic . As a result , the community and her team clearly appreciate and respect her .
With a most impressive , very powerful resume , Norma Hardy came to Brattleboro , Vermont with decades of police experience at the New York Port Authority , including the World Trade Center , during the bombing and after 9 / 11 .
Many years ago , Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York was one of the scariest places one ever encountered . Shabby , furious people confronted travelers , shoving paper cups in their faces , yelling , grabbing , looking for money .
And one never ever dared use the restrooms . You didn ’ t go into bathrooms , because you feared what might await . It was like the stuff bad movies were made of . Port Authority Bus Terminal is where Chief Hardy worked at about that time . It ’ s since been cleaned up , but she worked there back then as a young police officer . After years of extreme experience , working in a city of millions , she is now the Chief of Brattleboro police .
One of her detectives told me , “ We got so lucky . Lucky to get someone of her caliber with her charisma and her ability to communicate with people , along with her amazing level of experience from all her years in service .”
“ And thinking of what it must have been like to be a black woman coming up through the ranks in transit police in the 80s and 90s , I can only imagine how difficult that was . And working through both incidents at the World Trade Center ? She ’ s awe-inspiring .”
VTMAG . COM WINTER 2023 17