NEWPORT — The Vermont Police Association is urging the state Transportation Board to name a section of Interstate 91 in honor of David “Chris” Maland, the federal law enforcement officer who was killed in the line of duty on the highway last year.
The stretch under consideration would run from Exit 26 in Orleans north to Exit 28 in Derby, including the section in Coventry, and would be named the “David ‘Chris’ Maland Memorial Highway.”
In a letter to board Chair Pamela Loranger and its members, association President Christopher R. Hoar said the organization fully supports the designation, calling it “a lasting and meaningful tribute” to Maland’s life and to the loss felt by his family and the broader law enforcement community.
“Officer Maland’s ultimate sacrifice reflects the highest ideals of public service, duty, and commitment to protecting our communities,” Hoar wrote.
Maland, a Border Patrol agent was shot and killed Jan. 20, 2025, during a vehicle stop on I-91 near Newport. An Air Force veteran who had served with U.S. Customs and Border Protection for nine years, he was a K-9 handler.
Hoar’s letter draws a parallel to an existing designation in the area honoring President John F. Kennedy, noting that Kennedy was also killed in the line of duty and remains a symbol of leadership and public sacrifice. He argued that Kennedy, whom he described as an unwavering supporter of law enforcement, would endorse the effort.
The letter points to Kennedy’s 1962 Presidential Proclamation 3466, which established National Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week, creating what Hoar called a national tradition of honoring officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Naming a portion of I-91 for Maland, he wrote, “wouldn’t be a departure from President Kennedy’s legacy but a continuation of it.”
A designation would ensure Maland’s name and story endure, Hoar said, “reminding all who travel this roadway of the courage and commitment exemplified by those who protect us.”
“I respectfully urge the approval of a designation and stand ready to support this effort in any way needed,” he wrote.
