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.
The Police Force Analysis System℠ is used by 88 agencies across eight states and serves as an early intervention, training and risk management tool for law enforcement agencies to build evidence-based best practices and make data-driven decisions. The system is also used to promote transparency and provide valuable information for academic researchers, policy makers and community members alike.
The use of force data compiled for VPD assesses three years of data from 2017-2019 and includes a comprehensive analysis of use of force incidents using 150 individual data variables. The system also provides detailed insight into to the date, time and location of incidents, along with a myriad of force and risk factors, subject characteristics, trends and demographics.
VPD had 460 use of force incidents that occurred from 2017 - 2019. Of those incidents, 60% involved physical force only, 11% involved only the use of weapons by officers and 29% involved both physical force and the use of a weapon. Less than 2% of force tactics included the use of projectile weapons and less than 1% of interactions resulted in the use of a firearm. Grabbing and/or pulling and takedowns were the most common physical tactics used at 83% and 71% respectively.
On average 6.7% of VPD arrests result in a use of force. This is within one standard deviation of the mean of 3.8% for all 88 agencies using the system. Less than one-quarter of one percent of all calls for service to VPD end up with officers using force.
(See VPD’s Complete First Summary Report)
Bob Scales is the Chief Executive Officer of Police Strategies, LLC and recently provided a police Use of Force Analysis presentation to Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan and members of the City Council as an informational item during their July 14, 2020 regular City Council meeting.
During the session, Scales provided a high-level overview of findings from the Police Force Analysis System℠ Summary Report along with a brief analysis of VPD’s use of force incidents over a three-year period. Scales also provided insight into the potential benefits the system offers law enforcement agencies and communities.
“As VPD continues to implement policing reforms and adopt new policies and training programs, we will be able to use the system to track the outcomes of those measures and determine whether they are achieving the department’s goals and meeting the community’s expectations,” Police Strategies, LLC CEO Bob Scales said.
“For example, VPD recently suspended the use of carotid restraints which were used in 9% of all force incidents over the last three years. We will be able to use the Police Force Analysis System℠ to examine the impacts of this policy change on variables like officer and subject injury rates, types of force tactics used, and Force Justification and Force Factor scores. The Department and the community will then be able to evaluate whether the policy change achieved the outcomes desired.”
This year, Vallejo Chief of Police Shawny Williams brought in Police Strategies, LLC to begin the data extraction process. Chief Williams says that the system is a “critical and much needed resource as we move our department toward the philosophy of 21
st
Century Policing and exceptional service.”
Chief Williams also believes the data highlights a greater systemic issue that requires a full view of not only law enforcement, but our education, social-economic, health care, and housing systems. “We need to have a holistic view of all our different systems that sadly lead to poverty and crime in our communities,” Chief Williams stated. “By courageously addressing those systemic issues and inequities, I would hope that we could reduce crime, arrests and use of force within our communities.”
“Taking this next step on use of force analysis is something critically important for transparency and accountability, and we are glad we will be able to share this with the community,” City of Vallejo Manager Greg Nyhoff stated.
On
Wednesday, July 29, 2020 from 6:00pm-7:00pm
, the Vallejo Police Department will host a virtual community forum and demonstration of the system on our
Facebook live
with Bob Scales, CEO of Police Strategies, LLC. Community members will be able to learn more about the system and ask questions about how it works.
To watch a video recap of Scales’ former presentation to Vallejo Mayor Bob Sampayan and City Council on July 14
th
,
click here
and forward to the 3 hour and 18-minute mark of the video.
To see the VPD’s new use of force analysis dashboard, please click
here
.
For media inquiries, please contact Public Information Officer, Brittany K. Jackson by email at
[email protected].
or by phone at (707) 651-7147.
