Bennington should bring in an outside law enforcement expert to review the police department, Attorney General T.J. Donovan said Monday, following revelations they failed to pass on reports that a white nationalist was hoarding guns and high-capacity magazines.

"This action step will promote and maintain the public trust in the Bennington Police Department," Donovan said. He said he has spoken to Bennington Town Manager Stuart Hurd Monday to urge him to hire a consultant.

More:Kiah Morris: The Vermont incidents that led to a black lawmaker's resignation

Hurd said the town was open to a review or assessment, and was seeking independent organizations or individuals who would be able to assist.

"We feel very confident that we are operating correctly on these matters," he said.

Bennington police chief Paul Doucette, and Bennington State's Attorney Erica Marthage did not return phone calls for comment Tuesday.

Donovan's call came after the state branch of the NAACP and the ACLU of Vermont called for state officials to investigate why Bennington officials failed to share an October police report concerning Max Misch, the self-identified white nationalist who "trolled" former state Rep. Kiah Morris.

Bennington police were told Misch was a gun owning, white supremacist

Bennington police received a call from Misch's ex-wife's therapist on Oct. 16, reporting that Misch was a white supremacist in possession of an AK-47 rifle and several 30-round magazines.

Misch pleaded not guilty to violating Vermont's new ban on high-capacity magazines last week.

More:Vermont man who threatened black lawmaker facing gun charge

According to the October police report, Bennington police contacted Misch's ex-wife, Lisa Shapiro, by phone. The police report specifically mentions Morris and her husband, James Lawton.

"She told me she was concerned due to Max being a white supremacist/narcissist," Cpl. Roscoe Harrington wrote in the October report. "Lisa told me that Max saw a picture online of the firearms James Lawton owns and that he purchased the rifle because he has to be "one up on Lawton."

Shapiro told Harrington that Misch bought an AK-47 online around Oct. 1, doing the paperwork through a local gun shop.

"Lisa told me that since he purchased the AK-47 he had gone to New Hampshire where he purchased several 30 magazines for the rifle," Harrington wrote.

Vermont passed a law banning 30-round magazines last year; gun dealers were given until Oct. 1 to sell any remaining stock.

"Our investigation was that Misch purchased these magazines locally, prior to the ban going into effect, therefore he did not commit any type of crime," Doucette told the Bennington Banner last week.

Police report occurred amid investigation into racist threats against Morris

At the time of Shapiro's report, the Vermont State Police and the Attorney General's Office were investigating the threats and racial harassment against Morris and her family.

Doucette and Det. Sgt. Larry Cole visited Shapiro the following day.

Donovan was unaware of the October report when he announced at a mid-January news conference that no charges would be filed in the case.

More:Attorney General: No charges in racial harassment of former Rep. Kiah Morris

Shortly after, Donovan was tipped off about the October report, he said. A Vermont State Police trooper spoke to Shapiro, who said Misch was a "proud member of the Green Mountain Goys," a local white supremacist group.

"The significance of Bennington officials withholding relevant evidence must not be overlooked, particularly considering Bennington law enforcement’s track record," Tabitha Pohl-Moore, executive director of the Vermont NAACP, and ACLU of Vermont director James Lyall, said in the joint statement released Monday.

Tuesday, Lyall said that the decision to investigate or bring in an outside investigator should not be left to the town of Bennington.

"Vermont needs to do that work," he said.

The failure to hand over the evidence, he said, is just the latest example of dysfunction in the Bennington police department.

An ACLU lawsuit against Doucette and the town of Bennington over the failure to address racial bias is currently ongoing.

Oct. 16, 2018 police report

Contact Jess Aloe at 802-660-1874 or jaloe@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @jess_aloe