City of Vallejo, CA

During its August 25, 2020 meeting, the Vallejo City Council adjusted the budget to recognize a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice funding eight new officer positions within the Vallejo Police Department. The U.S. Department of Justice COPS Hiring Program awarded Vallejo with the grant, which totals $5,114,754 over a three-year period.

In recognition of the grant funding, the Vallejo City Council amended the Fiscal Year 2020-21 General Fund budget for the Police Department to recognize $1,590,204 from the grant and appropriate expenditures of that amount. The $1,590,204 is intended to cover the eight new police officers' salary and benefit costs for this fiscal year.

Read the full press release here.

This year, the City of Vallejo has experienced significant increases in gun violence and violent crimes against men, women and children. The Vallejo Police Department (VPD) is committed to combatting and eliminating these crimes to ensure that the vision of seeing Vallejo become a safe, vibrant and prosperous city is realized.

In order to address the issue of crime in our neighborhoods, VPD has recently launched its' Operation P.E.A.C.E Project, also known as Predictive Enforcement and Community Engagement. The initiative promotes positive interactions and relationship building between officers and the community and also increases police visibility to deter crime in the city.

Read the full press release here.

The Vallejo Police Department (VPD) is pleased to announce that we have posted interactive dashboards using the Police Force Analysis System℠ on our website. The dashboards provide comprehensive and detailed use of force data from 2017 - 2019 and are set to be updated on an annual basis. This announcement comes after an extensive data extraction process and assessment of VPD's use of force data that began in February 2020 and was conducted by an independent consultant, Police Strategies, LLC.

Read the full press release here.

The Vallejo Police Department (VPD) is pleased to announce its ongoing collaboration with the City's Human Resources Department to advance VPD recruitment initiatives. Under the direction of Chief of Police Shawny Williams, VPD and the City have enlisted community leaders throughout Vallejo to participate in the selection of VPD officers.

The new process also comes as part of the OIR Group's third-party assessment of VPD, which highlights the phase one priority of "strengthening the range and responsiveness of the workforce" by placing greater emphasis on "racial, gender and ethnic diversity in recruiting efforts".

"My vision is to see Vallejo become one of the safest cities in the Bay Area and creating this key layer of inclusion is a major step toward fulfilling that goal," Chief Williams stated. "Vallejo is considered to be one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the nation, so having our Department be a reflection of that will assist us in meeting the unique needs of our community."

Read the full press release here.

On June 16, 2020, Chief of Police Shawny Williams issued a special order banning the use of the carotid control hold until further notice and has suspended the "Carotid Control Hold" section of VPD's Use of Force/De-Escalation Policy.

The carotid control hold, a vascular neck constraint that does not restrict air flow when properly applied, had been previously permissible when necessary to restrain a violent or combative individual.

"This immediate ban of the carotid control hold is the right thing to do as our department focuses on assessment and reform," said Chief of Police Shawny Williams. "I also think it's important for the Vallejo community to know that the carotid control hold is not a stranglehold or a chokehold; those types of holds were never authorized by VPD and do not reflect our values as a department."

Read the full press release here.

On June 16, 2020, the City released the findings of a third-party audit of the Vallejo Police Department conducted by the OIR Group. The complete findings were released to the public via the Council Meeting Agenda reports. The complete report can be found here.

During the Special Meeting of the City Council on June 16, Chief of Police Shawny Williams and a representative from the OIR Group presented on the findings. The audit includes a recommendation report for the Vallejo Police Department, mapping out areas for improvement

At the June 16 Special Meeting of the Vallejo City Council, Police Chief Shawny Williams presented on the proposed implementation plan for the suggestions laid out in the OIR report. Access the full implementation plan here.

Recommendations include:

• a new, stricter activation policy for body-worn camera technology.
• interviewing officers involved in a shooting prior to the end of the shift in which the shooting occurred.
• obtaining a pure statement in an interview setting from officers involved in a shooting prior to their initial viewing of a recording of the incident.
• developing a protocol in which every use of force receives formal review.

Access the full plan here for the complete list of recommendations.

During a closed session at a Special Meeting of the Vallejo City Council on June 9, the Council directed City staff to schedule a Special Meeting to occur on June 16 to present the findings of a third-party audit conducted by OIR Group.

The audit includes a recommendation report for the Vallejo Police Department, mapping out areas for improvement. The complete findings will be released to the community via the Council Meeting agenda reports. While the report was considered confidential and subject to attorney-client privilege, City Council removed the privilege to ensure full transparency and to seek community involvement in the improvements.

On June 16, Vallejo Chief of Police Shawny Williams and a representative from the OIR Group will present the findings to the City Council and community. OIR Group will summarize the findings and recommendations based upon the consulting group's assessment of VPD policies and practices. Chief Williams will then present his plan for implementing each of the recommendations and his vision for implementing 21st Century Policing.

Read the full press release for more details.

The Vallejo Police Department has published an improved de-escalation policy (Policy #300). Read the full policy here.

The Vallejo Police Department has published an improved de-escalation policy (Policy #300). Read the full policy here.

The Vallejo Police Department is happy to announce that we are partnering with the Vallejo City Unified School District, the Denver Police Department, and Council Member Hakeem Brown to find proactive ways to improve relationships between our youth and police in Vallejo. The recurring youth outreach program is rooted in Denver Police Department's successful youth program, which the Vallejo Police Department aims to replicate.

The program will feature recurring youth and officer forums that aim to educate youth on their rights and responsibilities when in contact with officers.

The community meeting about the program will take place on Friday, March 20th, at the Vallejo Room in the Vallejo Library from 5:30 - 7:00 PM. The police and youth forum will take place on Tuesday, March 24th from 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM at a location yet to be determined. All interested community members are encouraged to attend the community meeting at the Vallejo Library.

For more information, please see the press release.

The Vallejo Police Department has joined Neighbors by Ring to provide the citizens of Vallejo with real-time, local crime and safety information. Nationwide, the Neighbors network already has millions of users and has been instrumental in catching package thieves, stopping burglaries, and keeping neighborhoods safe.

"The Vallejo Police Department is committed to finding innovative ways to serve our residents and to keep our neighborhoods safe," said Chief Shawny K. Williams. "The Neighbors app provides a free and effective way for residents to receive updates from Vallejo Police Department and for us to collaborate as a community to reduce crime."

Residents can download the free Neighbors app, join their neighborhood, and use the app to monitor neighborhood activity; share crime and safety-related videos, photos, and text-based posts; and receive real-time safety alerts from their neighbors, local law enforcement and the Ring team.

Text 'join today' to 555888 or tap here from your smartphone to download the app for free on iOS/Android and see what's happening in your neighborhood. For more information, visit www.ring.com.

On February 19 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the Vallejo Police Department held a forum at the JFK Library in the Joseph Room. Community members shared issues in their neighborhoods and brainstormed with police officers on solutions to these problems.

The program will feature recurring youth and officer forums that aim to educate youth on their rights and responsibilities when in contact with officers.

The community meeting about the program will take place on Friday, March 20th, at the Vallejo Room in the Vallejo Library from 5:30 - 7:00 PM. The police and youth forum will take place on Tuesday, March 24th from 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM at a location yet to be determined. All interested community members are encouraged to attend the community meeting at the Vallejo Library.

For more information, please see the press release.

The Vallejo Police Department will hold a class on running a successful neighborhood watch on January 18, 2020. The course will be held at the Filipino Community Center at 820 Sonoma Blvd. and will start at 11:00 a.m.

On December 14, 2019, the Police Department partnered with the Robby Poblete Foundation in hosting a gun buyback event.

A. The Academy

The Vallejo Police Department Citizens' Academy provides community members with an inside look at the Vallejo Police Department. The program is designed to provide citizens with an overview of the department's functions, methods and procedures. Instruction is not designed to train participants as police officers, but rather provide students with a broad but general knowledge of law enforcement. Police officers and staff will provide a series of presentations highlighting information on the many aspects of policing including: DUI and intoxicated subjects, criminal law, special operations and crime suppression, internal affairs, use of force and patrol operations, traffic division and collision investigation, gang activity, dispatch and communications and Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT). The academy utilizes a mixture of lecture, practical exercises and demonstrations to provide each participant with a broad overview of modern policing. Each week will be an interesting experience that is filled with professional presentations

B. How to Apply

Sessions are held once a week for three hours from March 18, 2020 to May 16, 2020. Applications are being accepted now through February 12, 2020. Click here for the application. Applications may be turned in to the Vallejo Police Department at 111 Amador Street

In December 2019, the City Attorney’s Office developed and presented training to Vallejo Police Command Staff regarding the new use of force law (AB 392). Training for all officers was provided by the CAO in January and February 2020.

In December 2019, the City executed a new five-year agreement with Axon for the latest body camera and Taser technology to assist in the Police Department’s accountability and transparency efforts.

The new City of Vallejo Police Chief, Shawny Williams, was sworn in as the leader of the Vallejo Police Department during a ceremony on Tuesday, November 12 at 11:00 a.m. in City Council Chambers.

The City of Vallejo announced Williams' selection as the new Police Chief on September 13 following a robust recruitment process that involved community-focused activities. Williams was selected from a group of 47 total applicants for the Police Chief position. He was the City's top pick among the five applicants who reached the final panel interview stage of the recruitment process.

A Note from City Manager Greg Nyhoff: "I am excited to welcome Shawny Williams as he officially becomes Vallejo's Police Chief. Throughout the selection process, the City has been focused on what the Vallejo community is looking for in their new Police Chief, and I'm thrilled that we've found Shawny to fill this important role. He has a stellar reputation and years of exceptional service with the San Jose Police Department, and I believe his leadership will have a positive impact on the Vallejo Police Department and our community as a whole.&"

On June 29, July 31, and September 27, the Police Department gave a “Use of Reasonable Force” presentation (an interactive, educational, and conversational experience) to four different community groups, with one additional presentation scheduled to be completed by April 2020.

On September 24, 2019 the City settled VPOA Contract negotiations, providing more competitive pay to assist with recruitment and retention.

A. New Vallejo Chief of Police selected

Vallejo City Manager Greg Nyhoff has selected Shawny Williams as the new Chief of Police. Williams, a Deputy Chief for the San Jose Police Department, is expected to begin his new role in November.

B. Chief Williams' Background

Chief William, as a fluent Spanish speaker, seasoned police executive and person of humble beginnings, has a proven track record of providing exceptional community service in diverse communities. Williams worked for the San Jose Police Department for more than 26 years and has extensive experience in the various aspects of the force. He has led the San Jose Police Department's Bureau of Investigations for over three years, overseeing approximately 190 personnel with an annual operating budget of approximately $63 million.

When he's not working, Chief Williams is is involved with youth sports, midnight basketball, and collaborative efforts with faith-based agencies.

He holds a Master of Arts degree from Fort Hays State University in Organizational Leadership and Bachelor of Arts degree from Simpson University. He is also a 2012 graduate of the FBI National Academy.

C. Selection Process

Williams was selected following final interviews conducted on September 4 by City Manager Nyhoff. The final appointment is pending the completion of required background checks.

The City selected Williams from a pool of 47 applicants after a robust process conducted in partnership with the recruiting firm Ralph Andersen & Associates. The process included three important community components: 1) a community meeting providing guidance to the recruiter; 2) an online forum to provide input on characteristics desired in the next Police Chief, which was open from June 21 through August 20; and 3) a panel made up of community members that joined in the panel interview process to evaluate the final five candidates.

All three community-focused activities are part of the larger Vallejo Unites campaign.

D. Note from Chief Williams

"The position of police officer belongs to the people we serve. With that philosophy in mind, I look forward to participating in all aspects of the Vallejo community, building upon the Police Department's community policing and engagement efforts, and tackling challenges together. We must engage the hearts and minds of all residents, City employees, students, youth and the business leaders."

More information on Chief Williams here.

A. City Manager Greg Nyhoff and Interim Police Chief Allio release video update for the community

The video discusses the status of the Police Department review, the goals and passion of Interim Chief Allio and an update on the Police Chief recruitment process. #VallejoUnites

B. Video:

Segments

:58 Police Chief Recruitment Status

2:10 Interim Chief Allio Introduction

4:00 Status of Assessment Process

9:05 Update on Vallejo Unites and Observations on Police Department

12:04 Addressing Loss of Life Concerns

16:40 Concluding Comments and Looking to the Future

The Police Department dedicating staff resources to community outreach and events throughout the summer, including:
-Late night basketball (July 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27)
-National Night Out (August 6, 2019)
-K-9 Trials (July 27, 2019)
-Picnic with the Cops (July 17, 2019 and September 21, 2019

In August 2019, the Police Department launched the use of a new monthly “at-a-glance” of the department’s Operation Bureau activity to provide transparency to community members. Statistics included in this report include calls for service, arrests, prior year crime comparison, and use-of-force incidents.

Interim Police Chief

Message from Chief Allio-

It has been a busy few weeks as the Vallejo Police Department has closed out July and walked into August meeting with our community at various events:

July 27th at St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School VPD hosted a K-9 Competition and community outreach event. The day was full of excellent K-9 demonstrations and competition as well as the famous Community Service's snow cone machine working full force!

July 27th was the final night for the summer 2019 New Dawn Late Night Basketball program. This was an opportunity to address public safety through recreation, education and procedural justice. VPD officers played basketball and interacted with youth each night of this year's program.

August 6th was National Night out. More than 40 Neighborhood Watch Groups held gatherings across the city. VPD organized 15 teams of PD employees and city officials to join the community celebration by visiting these gatherings.

2019 NNO

August 7th I, (Chief Allio) met with the Chief's Advisory Committee to discuss all things policing. I divided the committee into groups and asked them to come to consensus on three questions. What does Vallejo PD do well? What can Vallejo PD do to improve? If you were Chief for a day what is the one change you would make?

August 10th The VPD Community Services team was at the P.O.P & P back to school event greeting returning students as they prepare for a new school year.

Office of Independent Review-Group (OIR)

The City hired the OIR Group to conduct and independent review of the Vallejo Police Department's practices and procedures. OIR met with several City officials on July 23 and 24. They will begin their assessment shortly by reviewing relevant documents, meeting with additional city officials and community members in the coming weeks.

Department of Justice Community Relations Service-(CRS)- Brief overview

The Department of Justice's CRS Representative Justin Lock reported that the CRS will begin meeting with Vallejo residents shortly. CRS will be using CORE structure as a facilitation tool to help shape the conversation on Vallejo community's relationship with their police department.

What is CORE?

CORE is an assessment tool that provides a more in depth understanding of community perspectives and priorities about the general environment, about relations between neighbors, and between the community and the police. The tool does not impose solutions. Rather it seeks a more in-depth understanding of community perspectives so that community leaders can plan next steps according to the priorities identified.

The tool is provided free to local municipalities to own while CRS provides technical assistance and implementation. Upon conclusion a basic summary is provided by CRS for local municipality leaders to own as their own and issue as their own under their own logo and organization. While attempts are made to have locals own the process with technical assistance provided by CRS, in certain circumstances municipalities may request that CRS own the entire process due to the advantages of having a federal third party with impartiality implement the assessment process. In such cases CRS may own the assessment process after consultation with and approval of CRS Legal Counsel. In these cases CRS will issue a summary under its own logo and note it is in partnership with the local municipality and its respective law enforcement agency. CRS does not endorse any solutions and offers this process solely to gain a better understanding of community perspectives when certain jurisdictional incidents in a municipality have caused concern and tensions among groups.

Police Chief Recruitment

The City hired Ralph Anderson and Associates to conduct a national search for their next Police Chief. The first phase of the recruitment process ended on July 29, 2019. There were 47 total candidates who applied to become the next Vallejo Police Chief. Candidates are located throughout the United States and include current and former police chiefs.

The next phase of the process is underway and will include a select group of candidates participating in several panels. A total of 60 people provided feedback on the City's online forum, sharing what qualities and traits they would like to see in the new Police Chief. View the comments here.

Barbershop Forum coming to Vallejo

Stay tuned for more information coming soon.

A. Interim Police Chief

City Manager Greg Nyhoff appointed Chief Joe Allio Interim Police Chief on July 1, 2019. Chief Allio will serve in this position until a permanent Chief is selected and appointed.

Message from Chief Allio-

Hello, my name is Joe Allio and I am the Interim Chief of Police here at the Vallejo Police Department. I have 33 years of Law Enforcement experience retiring as the Chief of Police in the neighboring city of Fairfield. After one week on the job, I have quickly learned that Vallejo is not just a place to live but a community. Spending hours walking the parade route on the 4th of July, speaking with community members educated me on the passion people have for their hometown Vallejo.

As Vallejo seeks to find a permanent Chief, I am committed to leading this police department in professional policing with a focus on strong community relationships. I will be involved in both in-reach and outreach asking whoever I can, what does the Vallejo Police Department do well, what can we do to improve, and if you were chief for a day what would be your number one priority? This information along with a look at day-to-day operations will help me inform the permanent Chief of the potential here at Vallejo Police Department. Please know every hour of every day the men and women of this police department are on duty with a focus to serve this community.

B. Office of Independent Review-Group (OIR)

The City hired the OIR Group to conduct and independent review of the Vallejo Police Department's practices and procedures. The OIR Group will make their first on-site visit the 3rd week of July and are scheduled to meet with City officials before beginning their review.

Who is the OIR Group?

Led by a veteran former federal civil rights prosecutor, the OIR Group team features some of the nation's most experienced police practices and oversight professionals. They are committed to rigorous review and innovative practice that helps make law enforcement agencies more effective and more accountable.

C. Department of Justice Community Relations Service-(CRS)- Brief overview

The Department of Justice's CRS Representative Justin Lock met with city representatives in June, 2019 and began developing a plan to reach out to Vallejo residents to solicit their feedback regarding their concerns.

What is DOJ CRS?

The United States Department of Justice Community Relations Service is the Department's "Peacemaker" for community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, and disability. CRS is not an investigatory or prosecutorial agency, and it does not have any law enforcement authority.

Rather, the Agency works with all parties, including State and local units of government, private and public organizations, civil rights groups, and community leaders, to uncover the underlying interests of all of those involved in the conflict and facilitates the development of viable, mutual understandings, and solutions to the community's challenges. In addition, CRS assists communities in developing local mechanisms and community capacity to prevent tension and violent hate crimes from occurring the future. All CRS services are provided free of charge to the communities and are confidential. CRS works in all 50 states and the U.S. territories, and in communities large and small, rural, urban, and suburban.

E. Police Chief Recruitment

The City hired Ralph Anderson and Associates https://www.ralphandersen.com/jobs/cop-vallejo/ to conduct a national search for their next Police Chief. As part of an aggressive community engagement process throughout the recruitment period, the City is seeking public feedback on the kind of talent a candidate should possess. The timeline for selection of a new Police Chief could take six months to complete with the following target milestones:

• Stakeholder input began on May 23 with a Community Forum to provide an opportunity for members of the Vallejo community to interact directly with the recruiter and provide input on the ideal candidate characteristics for the next Chief of Police. The feedback from the Community Forum was consolidated and then integrated into the recruitment process. Complete notes from this meeting can be viewed here.
• Recruitment opened on June 21 and closes on July 29
• An online forum to gather feedback from the Community on the traits and characteristics of a new chief opened on June 21 here.
• Panel interviews are tentatively scheduled for early-September (panels will include both professional experts and community stakeholders)
• Tentative finalist selection by end of September.
• The first phase of the recruitment process began in earnest as the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) advertised the job announcement to 3000 Law Enforcement Executives across the United States and Canada. The deadline for submitting an application for this position is July 29, 2019.

A. Department of Justice (DOJ)-Community Relations Initiative

The City has invited DOJ staff to assist because of their history and experience working in communities where distrust and negative perceptions have disrupted the law enforcement role in a community. While the City is not in as bad a situation as other cities that the DOJ has helped, the City Council recognized it is important to bring them in before the community reached a crisis point. The DOJ also has the advantage of being independent from the City, so there is a great opportunity for open dialogue and an outside perspective that helps create unity and understanding within Vallejo. Staff is currently in the initial stages of scheduling meetings with the DOJ, and so additional information, including a timeline for this effort will be coming soon.

B. Interim Police Chief

The City Manager has selected Joseph Allio as the Interim Police Chief for the Vallejo Police Department, and will be formally recommended for appointment by the City Manager to the City Council on June 25, 2019. Chief Allio retired from the City of Fairfield as its Police Chief in 2017, concluding a 33- year career in law enforcement. Chief Allio has a strong reputation of focusing on expanding community outreach, building strong police-community relations, and fostering a double-digit reduction in major crimes.

Chief Allio began his career as a police officer with the South San Francisco Police Department in 1984. In 1987, he joined the Fairfield Police Department and advanced through the ranks to chief. During his tenure, Allio worked in virtually every assignment including Patrol, Investigations, SWAT, Youth Services, Internal Affairs, and Community Services. He was a founding member of the department's Peer Support Team, participated in the development of "active shooter" response training, and developed and implemented the Police Probation Team. Additionally, he has demonstrated an ability to work with community organizations.

Chief Allio's first day as Interim Police Chief will be July 1st. He will provide leadership to steady the department during this transitional time, and facilitate the onboarding of a newly selected permanent Chief later this year. It is also expected that he will facilitate access and support the risk assessment process.

C. New Police Recruitment and Selection

The goal is to find a permanent Chief that embraces the diversity and values of Vallejo and is committed to implementing the recommendations from the DOJ effort, as well as the planned independent risk assessment.

The City is working with a recruitment firm, Ralph Andersen & Associates, to conduct a robust nationwide search recruitment process, which includes:

• Community Meeting to solicit input on their desired Police Chief. This meeting was held on May 23rd, and was well attended by over 70 people who were very engaged in the discussion. The meeting proved to be very productive and informative.
• Provide Opportunity for On-Line Input-this component of the process will provide another source for soliciting input for people that were not able to attend the community meeting and will be available on the City's website beginning the week of June 17th.
• Create and Conduct Two Interview Panels-these panels will provide the City Manager with input and advice on Chief candidates. There will be a panel of Public Safety professional experts and one made up of community stakeholders.
• Final Selection-Selection of the new Police Chief by the City Manager is expected to occur later in the fall.

D. Risk Management Assessment of the Police, Public Works and Fire Departments

These assessments will evaluate the departmental policies, practices, tactics, and capacity, all of which have a potential nexus to risk-related costs for Police, Public Works and Fire.

An independent firm, The OIR Group has been selected to perform the Police Department Assessment. Led by a veteran former federal civil rights prosecutor, the OIR Group team features some of the nation's most experienced police practices and oversight professionals. OIR's areas of service include performing comprehensive assessments of law enforcement agencies, critical incident review and analysis, conducting and evaluating training, policy assessment, complaint and internal investigations, etc. They have conducted reviews for the City of Portland, City of Davis, and BART, among others.

For more information on The OIR Group, visit: https://www.oirgroup.com/
The OIR Risk Evaluation of the Police Department is anticipated to be completed in the fall and will then be forwarded to the City Manager and new Police Chief to implement.

E. Other Key Resource Needs

Additionally, in order to effectively coordinate the many facets of this overall work plan, The City Manager has enlisted the expertise of Howard Jordan, Public Safety Consultant with the Management Strategies Group Division of the Sloan Sakai law firm. Mr. Jordan is the former Police Chief of Oakland, CA who has been consulting and teaching at local colleges in the public safety area since his retirement. Mr. Jordan will be the Project Manager, and with his police background, will also act as an advisor on the various elements of this project.

Mr. Jordan has a professional background in law enforcement and rose through the ranks to serve as Chief of Police for the City of Oakland. He is a graduate of the 219th FBI National Academy and the Police Executive Research Forum's Senior Management Institute in Policing. He shares his wealth of knowledge and experience in the law enforcement profession with others, serving as a mentor for executive leadership and as an adjunct professor at Diablo Valley College and Merritt College. Through his relationship at Merritt College he is active in preparing under represented young women and men to successfully complete the rigorous police academy and become future police officers.

Mr. Jordan has already conducted some one-on-one meetings with community members and will continue outreach work as a component of his engagement. This project management scope includes ensuring disparate voices throughout the community have a chance to participate in our governance and leadership selection processes.

F. Communications

Throughout the implementation of this work plan, the City will provide updated communications to the Council and community on our progress.

In December 2018, the City Attorney’s Office implemented training to educate staff regarding new laws involving transparency of police records (SB 1421 and AB 748).