RECOMMENDATION 10: The Department should implement a graduated program of accountability to ensure that officers are complying with the expectations of the new policy. RECOMMENDATION 11: The Department’s management should consider body-worn camera recordings as, among other things, a forum for identifying performance and training issues and addressing them constructively and progressively – and not through automatic formal discipline for minor issues.
Officer-Involved-Shootings & Critical Incident Review When VPD has an officer-involved shooting in which the subject is wounded or killed, a number of responsive processes are initiated right away, both within and outside of the Department. In this respect, the model in Vallejo and Solano County shares much in common with jurisdictions throughout California and even nation-wide. Taking precedence at the outset is a criminal investigation into both the underlying incident and the police use of deadly force. The actions of each officer who shot are scrutinized for their legality; at the end of the process, the District Attorney’s Office renders a decision as to whether a basis exist for prosecution exists. While the review of the completed case, and the ultimate decision about legality, is the purview of the District Attorney, VPD detectives play an active role in the evidence-gathering process. Indeed, VPD and the District Attorney follow a memorandum of understanding about their respective responsibilities. In reviewing several case files from recent VPD officer-involved shootings, our focus was primarily related to the administrative processes we discuss in detail below. These are the Department’s internal assessments, not only of officer performance (in terms of compliance with policy and training), but also other aspects of the incident that may have implications for operational effectiveness. These might include officer tactics, equipment, supervision, communication, and elements of post-incident response including medical aid and community outreach. They are also the parts over which the Department has control and sole responsibility.
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