Two veteran officers promoted at Shelburne Police

Shelburne Police Chief Aaron Noble has promoted two longtime officers to the rank of sergeant as part of a reorganization within the department.

Sgts. Bruce Beuerlein and Josh Flore are now responsible for overseeing patrol shifts. The promotions were effective earlier this month.

Noble, who became chief earlier this year, said the promotions will allow for greater supervision for the department, which serves the town around the clock.

They join Lt. Allen Fortin, a former Hinesburg police chief, and Cpl. Jon Marcoux, who also serves as the department’s public information officer, as ranking officers.

Shelburne Police is authorized for 11 full-time positions including one current vacancy. The department also has four part-time officers currently used to fill shifts.

Beuerlein, 56, was a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician before he was hired by the town of Shelburne in 2001, initially serving as an emergency dispatcher and part-time officer. By 2003 Beuerlein completed the course at the Vermont Police Academy for full-time officers and has patrolled Shelburne streets ever since.

Beuerlein, who tends to work nights, has been active in getting impaired drivers off Vermont highways. He instructs about driving while under the influence laws and patrols. He is a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) in identifying drivers impaired by non-alcohol substances.

He said the promotion process was arduous with several steps, including an oral board exam, a written test, a psychological evaluation and an interview with Chief Noble.

Beuerlein lives with his wife in New York and they have two children. He has an associate degree from the State University at Delhi.

Flore, 46, moved to Vermont in 1989 and eventually became a part-time dispatcher in Shelburne in 1994 and a part-time police officer for the town the following year.

He became a full-time officer in 1996 and was promoted to corporal in 1999.

In 2004, he was injured and began full-time work as a fraud investigator for Progressive Insurance Co. in Colchester. He continued to work part-time as an officer and emergency dispatcher for the town. He left Progressive in 2007 and continued to work for Shelburne as a part-time officer until 2008 when a full-time slot became available.

Flore has been active within the department, serving as the quartermaster and as a firearms instructor, and he worked to develop new recruitment and hiring efforts. He also has served as the shop steward for the police union for about 8 years.

He lives with his wife and three daughters in Charlotte, where he also has served with the Charlotte Volunteer Fire Department as a firefighter, lieutenant, captain and corporate president.

Flore also is the Charlotte town constable.

He received an associate degree in criminal justice from Champlain College in 1994 and is working toward a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice online from the American Military University.

Flore is the Vermont representative to the New England Concerns of Police Survivors, a nonprofit that assists survivors of law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty.

Flore also has participated for 13 years in the annual Police Unity Tour – a 300-mile bicycle ride that ends each May in Washington, D.C. near the National Law Enforcement Officer’s Memorial and Museum.