VPD Seeks Feedback on Proposed Changes to Critical Incident Review Board (CIRB) Policy

The Vallejo Police Department (VPD) is inviting Vallejo residents and stakeholders to provide public comment and feedback on proposed changes to its Critical Incident Review Board (CIRB) Policy through May 31, 2022.

The Department’s Critical Incident Review Board is the current method by which some significant force events are reviewed. The Critical Incident Review Board will be convened “when the use of force by a member results in very serious injury or death to another.”

The role of the Critical Incident Review Board is to conduct a review of the incident and to make recommendations to the Chief as to potential further action in the areas of “Policy, Tactics, and Training”.

Our request for community feedback comes on the heels of a series of recent policy reviews that have included the VPD’s Standard of Conduct Policy, Code of Ethics Policy and Use of Force Policy.

“We have a deep necessity to explore the intricacies of our policies, procedures, training, and professionalism to bring about the best in officers, staff and community,” Vallejo Chief of Police Shawny K. Williams stated. “We are in a unique position to impact change together, and I hope that our residents and community members will continue to join us in that effort.”

As part of our three-year collaborative reform agreement with the California Department of Justice, and in response to a third-party assessment with 45 recommendations completed by the OIR Group in 2019, the VPD is restructuring a series of policies to build upon 21st Century policing practices in Vallejo.

To review the draft CIRB policy and provide your feedback, please visit the following webpage: www.myvallejo.com/cirb-feedback. The forum will remain open for public comment through May 31, 2022.

The next Community Town Hall meeting is scheduled to take place on June 29 from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m., location to be determined.

For media inquiries, please contact Public Information Officer, Brittany K. Jackson by email at VallejoPolicePIO@cityofvallejo.net. or by phone at (707) 651-7147.

As of June 2021, the Vallejo Police Department began drafting a new CIRB policy in collaboration with the Department of Justice. Key highlights of the proposed changes to the CIRB Policy include, but are not limited to:

Purpose and Scope

• Timely and holistic evaluation of all critical incidents and not just review of the individual’s compliance with the use of force policies.
• CIRB Review conducted independent of the VPD’s internal administrative investigation into the actions of members using force.
• Review process held in addition to any other review or investigation that may be conducted by any outside or multi-agency entity having criminal jurisdiction over the investigation or evaluation of the use of deadly force.

Composition of the Board

• CIRB to work independent of the Professional Standards Unit
• Minimum of 6 members assigned to each CIRB, in addition to the Deputy Chief Support Services Division, who will serve as Chair.
• Inclusion of community members to provide community perspective to the review and not direct the technical determination of the department.
• Integrity and impartiality - No VPD employee with a record of sustained discipline for an OIS, use of force, or truthfulness can sit on the CIRB.

Responsibilities of the Board

• The Board will use an approved template for each review conducted by the Board to include an executive summary and reporting of the specific factors reviewed. The review will provide specific analysis, findings, and recommendations, as required, for each of the six priority areas related to a use of force incident.

Phases of Review

• Immediate and enhanced timelines for start and completion of administrative review by Professional Standards Unit
• Additional review/investigation by Professional Standard Unit where misconduct or potential policy violations were not thoroughly addressed
• Immediately following this Critical Incident Initial Review, the Chief of Police or their designee will meet with the members of the Chief’s Advisory Board (CAB) to provide general overview of known information related to a critical incident so they may provide community input, concerns, and impacts as a result of an incident.
• Clarifications on evidence and documentation provided to CIRB that would include, but are not limited to: dispatch records, body worn camera video, available private video and any other evidence it deems relevant to the review.

CIRB Reporting

• The Deputy Chief of Support Services will serve as the chairperson and is responsible for ensuring the completion of the final report.
• The Chief will convene the CAB to discuss the CIRB report and to address any concerns raised.
• At the conclusion of the CIRB review by the Chief, the report shall be made public in an executive summary format.
• The Department shall post the tracking log for the recommendations from the report and update it periodically as the recommendations are accomplished.