STATE OF VERMONT

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

VERMONT STATE POLICE

Vermont State Police announces promotions of two Criminal Division captains

WATERBURY, Vermont (Friday, Jan. 24, 2025) — The Vermont State Police announces two new captains in the Criminal Division.

Lt. John-Paul Schmidt received a promotion to captain as Bureau of Criminal Investigations commander. Lt. Ashley “Skip” Barnes received a promotion to captain as Special Investigations commander. Both promotions are effective Sunday, Jan. 26.

The Criminal Division, one of three divisions within the state police, handles investigations of major crimes including homicides, drugs and other specialized matters. Within the division are the Major Crime Unit, the Bureau of Criminal Investigations and Special Investigations.

MCU investigates Vermont’s most serious offenses, especially homicides, suspicious missing-persons cases, and police-involved shootings. BCI handles other serious matters including death investigations, sexual assaults, crimes against children, embezzlements, robberies and other felony-level crimes. The Special Investigations commander supervises the Vermont Intelligence Center (VIC), the Narcotics Investigation Unit (NIU), the Vermont Drug Task Force (VDTF), and the Vermont State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit (FEIU).

Capt. Barnes joined the Vermont State Police in 2009 as a trooper assigned to the Williston Barracks before transferring in fall 2010 to detective trooper with the Chittenden Unit for Special Investigations. He later worked as a detective trooper with the Narcotics Investigation Unit, then was promoted to detective sergeant with the Major Crime Unit – North in 2018. He transferred two years later to the Joint Terrorism Task Force before being promoted in late 2023 to detective lieutenant / commander of BCI – A East.

Capt. Barnes becomes Special Investigations commander following Maj. Shawn Loan’s promotion from that position to major / Criminal Division commander late last year.

Capt. Schmidt began his career with the Vermont State Police in 1999 as a trooper at the Shaftsbury Barracks. In 2007 he was promoted to sergeant and patrol commander, a position he held at various times at both the Rutland and Shaftsbury barracks. He transferred to detective sergeant at the Rockingham Barracks in 2012 and joined the Major Crime Unit three years later before being promoted in 2016 to lieutenant with the Bureau of Criminal Investigations – Troop B East. In 2019 he transferred to commander of the Major Crime Unit – South.

As Bureau of Criminal Investigations commander Capt. Schmidt succeeds Capt. Scott Dunlap, who is retiring after a distinguished 21-year career.

Capt. Dunlap served the people of Vermont since January 2004, when he started work as a trooper at the Shaftsbury Barracks. He became a detective trooper with the Special Investigations Unit – South in 2010, then was promoted to detective sergeant at the Brattleboro Barracks in 2013. He transferred to the Major Crime Unit in 2015 before earning a promotion to lieutenant and commander of MCU South in December 2016. He was promoted to captain and MCU commander in 2018, and then transferred to BCI commander in 2023. Capt. Dunlap’s last day with the state police is Friday, Jan. 24, 2025.

The new captains can be reached by email at ashley.barnes@vermont.gov and john-paul.schmidt@vermont.gov, or by phone through the Criminal Division at 802-241-5360.

To find out more about the Criminal Division, visit https://vsp.vermont.gov/divisions/criminal.

- 30 -