Vallejo police seek input on officer

The Vallejo Police Department has released details on a planned overhaul of its communications policy concerning incidents where people are killed by police.

A draft of the new proposed policy published Thursday includes an extensive checklist for communicating with the public in the hours, days and weeks immediately after future incidents. The draft also outlines a more robust breakdown of potential services the agency would provide the families of people killed, including regular updates from a "family liaison" as well as a face-to-face conversation with Vallejo's police chief.

Members of the public have until June 30 to provide feedback on the policy draft at the following link: https://www.myvallejo.com/critical-incident-communication-outreach.

Sgt. Rashad Hollis, the public information officer for the Vallejo Police Department, said the main goal of the proposed changes is to broaden access to information on these incidents and the agency's investigations of them.

"We’re being extremely transparent with this new policy, versus the old policy, where it was mostly done in-house," he said.

The proposed policy, which the California Department of Justice developed alongside the Vallejo Police Department during its three-year collaborative review of the agency, places particular emphasis on media outreach.

An initial press briefing, according to police documents, would occur within three hours of a police-involved homicide. The briefing would present key information such as the incident's time and location, as well as the identity of the person killed, if it is known.

Authorities would also provide details about why police were originally at the scene as well as the name of any officers involved, so long as their weapons were fired, they are not currently on the scene and there is "no credible threat" to their safety.

Police would send a press release shortly after the briefing, followed by further press releases "as additional information is developed" within the first week of the incident, according to the policy draft. Authorities would also post court actions as they happen and would issue monthly updates on the status of open incidents.

"The Vallejo Police Department recognizes the importance of maintaining transparency in public service by engaging the community concerning enforcement actions," the policy draft states. "The Department seeks to build on its partnership with the community, fostering trust through collaboration, communication, optimum information-sharing and the solicitation of input into its review processes and improvement."

Documents state that within 14 days of an incident, police and city leaders would host a town hall providing additional updates including known surveillance videos and video and audio from body cameras. These and any other recordings of the incident, including those found on social media, "generally will be released without alterations or editing," according to the draft.

Police would note any redactions.

"The Department is committed to release of video evidence as soon as possible in furtherance of the purpose and intent of this policy including increased transparency, public trust, thorough information sharing and community engagement," the draft states.

Once an investigation has closed, according to documents, police would distribute a survey to community members, seeking feedback as authorities continue to revise their protocol.

Hollis said in the past, the Vallejo Police Department has sent press releases following officer-involved shootings. Like most law enforcement agencies, however, it has mostly conducted its investigations out of the public eye.

No protocol concerning the media is listed in the department's current documents on public communication after officer-involved killings.

Hollis noted that the proposed policy is only a draft as authorities wait for the public to provide feedback. But, he said, "you see the trajectory that we’re heading towards."

The proposed policy also prioritizes family members of people killed or seriously injured by Vallejo police.

The city's current policy relies on the police department's Professional Standards Division to break the news of a death to the decedent's next of kin and offer available resources. Under the proposed policy, according to documents, a dedicated family liaison "will provide support, information regarding the investigative process, updated information and be accessible to answer questions from family members."

The liaison would make sure family members are aware of media events and would contact the family at least once a week after the incident for as long as the family wants.

Except in the event of an emergency, Vallejo's police chief would also meet with family members within 72 hours of the incident.

"The goal," documents state, "is to demonstrate the personal commitment to department accountability, explain the actions to come including an independent investigation(s) into the incident and acknowledge the loss experienced by the family during a difficult and emotionally charged time."

Hollis said Monday that Vallejo authorities do not yet know when a revised critical incident policy will go into effect, as that will partly depend on the feedback they receive this month.

If an officer-involved homicide takes place before a revised policy is set, Hollis said the police department's response would be at the discretion of Interim Police Chief Jason Ta.

It was unclear as of publication time whether the California Department of Justice will continue its review of the Vallejo Police Department, which could end this week after three years. Reform advocates, including the Solano County chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, have argued that the city should request the Department of Justice to extend that contract.

State authorities began reviewing Vallejo's police department in 2020 amid widespread protests against police brutality.

The city's force has historically been among the deadliest in the country, killing 19 people between 2010 and 2020. Critics have accused the department of failing to adequately discipline officers, some of whom practiced a ritual of bending the tips of their badges after having killed a civilian.

As of May 17, Vallejo police had successfully implemented eight of 45 recommendations that an independent firm specializing in police oversight provided the agency three years ago.

Hollis said that he believes all officers currently on the force support Ta's approach to reform and the new proposed communication policy.

"I haven't heard any pushback," Hollis said. "… All the officers are very supportive and we’re all aligned with the chief."

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