Ex-chief Facos gets new job with U.S. Attorney

A spokesman said he will step down this month and begin the new job next month.

Facos will be the permanent replacement for Kraig LaPorte, who served as the Law Enforcement Coordinator and Public Information Officer for the office. The job was subsequently split, with Office Secretary Fabienne Boisvert-Defazio taking over as the PIO in late February 2022.

Facos, who retired after 13 years as Montpelier Police Chief on July 1, 2020, was later recruited by the Agency of Transportation to serve as head of the law enforcement division within DMV.

He replaced Col. William “Jake” Elovirta, who retired after 32 years in Vermont law enforcement.

Facos, who has spent 38 years in law enforcement, grew up and was educated in Montpelier. He began as an auxiliary trooper with the Vermont State Police in 1985 and was hired as a part-time officer in Montpelier that year. Facos shifted to full-time status with the city in 1987 and moved up through the ranks until he was named chief of police in 2007.

He holds two degrees from Norwich University in Northfield — a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies in 1995 and a master’s degree in diplomacy and international studies in 2013.

Facos also is a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, in 2004. He is a past president of the FBI National Academy Associates in New England. Facos was among four semi-finalists for U.S. Marshal for Vermont six years ago.

The DMV has begun to advertise for a new head of its Enforcement and Safety Division.

The Division has about 30 sworn officers and a civilian staff of 14 employees. The division is responsible for vehicle inspections, licensing and training management, dealer regulations, investigations, commercial vehicle regulation and motor carrier safety, among other programs and services.