VALLEJO -
The Vallejo Police Department supports the #8CantWait policy initiatives championed by Campaign Zero and stands united in the nationwide movement to improve policing in our communities.
Below is a detailed description of the Vallejo Police Department policies that align directly with #8CantWait campaign priorities. Please reference the
Vallejo Police Department Policy Manual
for a full description of our policies:
Ban Chokeholds & Strangleholds
– As of June 16, 2020, Vallejo PD has banned the use of the carotid control hold until further notice. (See
press release announcement
.) Vallejo PD has never authorized the use of a chokehold or stranglehold of any kind. 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.
(See Vallejo PD Policy Manual 300.5.4)
Require De-Escalation
– Vallejo PD has trained its officers in the principles of de-escalation for many years. In April 2020, Vallejo PD updated its use of force policy to place even greater emphasis on de-escalation tactics and techniques. The de-escalation curriculum of the department encompasses best practices, which emphasize the importance of individuals complying with peace officers’ lawful commands during de-escalation measures. The expanded policy focuses on the core values of the sanctity of human life, public cooperation and voluntary compliance. (
See Vallejo PD Policy Manual 300.4)
Require Warning Before Shooting
– Vallejo PD policy indicates that where “circumstances and time reasonably permit, an officer shall take those reasonable and prudent actions which operate to mitigate the immediacy of the threat thereby giving the officer time to call additional officers, utilize other tactics or request specialty assistance such as crisis negotiators.”
Additionally, “where feasible, the officer shall, prior to the use of force, make reasonable efforts to identify themselves as a peace officer and to warn that deadly force may be used, unless the officer has objectively reasonable grounds to believe the person is aware of those facts.”
(See Penal Code 835a and Vallejo PD Policy Manual 300.6b)
Require Exhausting all Alternatives Before Shooting
– As stated in Vallejo PD Policy 300.5, “Officers shall use only that amount of force that reasonably appears necessary given the facts and totality of the circumstances known to or perceived by the officer at the time of the event to accomplish a legitimate law enforcement purpose.”
The standard for use of force is that it must be reasonable. “Given that no policy can realistically predict every possible situation an officer might encounter, officers are entrusted to use well-reasoned discretion in determining the appropriate use of force in each incident.”
(See Vallejo PD Policy Manual 300.5)
Duty to Intervene –
Vallejo PD has an existing duty to intercede policy which states, “any officer present and observing another officer using force that is clearly beyond that which is objectively reasonable under the circumstances shall, when in a position to do so, intercede to prevent the use of unreasonable force. In addition to the duty to intercede, Vallejo Police officers are also required to promptly report excessive use of force to their supervisors.
(See Vallejo PD Policy Manual 300.3.1)
Ban Shooting at Moving Vehicles
–
The Vallejo Police Department already trains our officers that firing shots at or from a moving vehicle is rarely effective and that officers should move out of the path of an approaching vehicle instead of discharging their firearm at the vehicle or any of its occupants. An officer should only discharge a firearm at a moving vehicle or its occupants when the officer reasonably believes there are no other reasonable means available to avert the threat of the vehicle, or if deadly force other than the vehicle is directed at the officer or others. Furthermore, officers should not shoot at any part of a vehicle in an attempt to disable the vehicle.
(See Vallejo PD Policy Manual 300.6.1)
Require Comprehensive Reporting
–
Pursuant to Policy 300.7, Any use of force by a member of this department shall be documented promptly, completely and accurately in an appropriate report, depending on the nature of the incident. Additionally, any incident involving death or great bodily injury is investigated pursuant to the Solano County Officer-Involved Fatal Incident Protocol.
(See Vallejo Policy Manual 300.7)
Require Use of Force Continuum
–
Police use of force practices have evolved from the “force continuum” concept as defined by Eight Can’t Wait. Vallejo Police training and department policies provide guidelines for the reasonable use of force. While there is no way to specify the exact amount or type of reasonable force to be applied in any situation, every member of this department is expected to use these guidelines to make such decisions in a professional, impartial and reasonable manner.
(See Vallejo PD Policy Manual 300, 303, 304, 305)
In addition to these measures, VPD is advancing ongoing modernization efforts focused on its Exceptional Service Model and 21st Century Policing. The department is currently seeking community feedback on a proposed improvement plan, based upon an evaluation conducted by the expert consultant OIR Group. Members of the public are invited to visit the
Open City Hall
platform, between now and July 31, 2020, to see the proposed improvement plan and submit their feedback.
For additional information, please contact Vallejo Police Department’s Public Information Officer, Brittany K. Jackson by phone at (707) 651-7147 or by email at
[email protected]
.
###
