Community

State Secures Settlement Agreement with City of Vallejo, Police on Reforms and Accountability

California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on April 11 that the California Department of Justice (DOJ) has secured a settlement agreement with the City of Vallejo and the Vallejo Police Department (VPD) requiring reforms to VPD’s policies and practices. The agreement announced addresses DOJ’s allegations that the VPD engaged in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional conduct and ensures that the reform process agreed to by the parties in the stipulated judgment will begin immediately, overseen and enforced by DOJ.

Published

3 months ago

June 7, 2024

Oakland Post

California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Official photo.

Special to The Post

The agreement announced addresses DOJ’s allegations that the VPD engaged in a pattern or practice of unconstitutional conduct and ensures that the reform process agreed to by the parties in the stipulated judgment will begin immediately, overseen and enforced by DOJ.

As part of the settlement agreement, the city of Vallejo and VPD will undertake a comprehensive set of actions — to be led by an established independent evaluator, Jensen Hughes, and overseen directly by DOJ — to promote public safety, reduce unlawful uses of force, eliminate racial and identity disparities, strengthen accountability systems, continue to increase support for officers, and protect the statutory and constitutional rights of the people of Vallejo.

“It’s past time the people of Vallejo have a police department that listens and guarantees that their civil rights are protected,” Bonta said. “My office is committed to protecting the rights of the people of Vallejo by overseeing and enforcing the agreement and working collaboratively with VPD and the city and ensuring a fair, thorough, and transparent process.”

On June 5, 2020, DOJ, the city of Vallejo, and VPD entered into a MOU for VPD to institute a comprehensive modernized policing plan that included implementing 45 reform recommendations.

DOJ’s decision to enter into an MOU with VPD to reform its policing came in light of several high-profile uses of force, including a number of officer-involved shootings.

When the MOU expired on June 5, 2023, VPD had achieved substantial compliance with 20 out of the 45 agreed-upon recommendations, but the DOJ concluded that VPD failed to uniformly and adequately enforce the law, based in part, because of defective or inadequate policies, practices, and procedures.

Under the terms of the settlement, VPD and the City of Vallejo are required to implement the remaining reforms, and to implement additional reforms addressing civilian complaints, bias-free policing, stops, searches, seizures and arrest, and ongoing oversight of these reforms.

In October 2023, the parties agreed on a comprehensive five-year plan to address the numerous areas that need improvement and modernization to bring VPD into alignment with contemporary best practices and ensure constitutional policing.

Under the settlement, VPD will implement the remaining recommendations that have not been completed from the 45 recommendations contained in the May 2020 report, including to:

Address unreasonable force by holding officers and supervisors accountable for not identifying, adequately investigating, or addressing force that is unreasonable or otherwise contrary to VPD policy; and refer uses of force that may violate law or VPD’s use of force policy to their Professional Standards Division (internal affairs) for further investigation or review.
Enhance, promote, and strengthen partnerships within the community, to continue engaging constructively with the community to ensure collaborative problem-solving and bias-free policing, and to increase transparency and community confidence in VPD.
Utilize its Chief’s Advisory Board (CAB) and the Police Oversight and Accountability Commission (POAC), to continue to develop and amend significant policies that impact the community, including to its use of force policies, community-policing strategy and policies, bias-free policing policies, and civilian complaint policies.
Develop a policy that defines and limits the use of pretextual stops.
Enhance and revise training with respect to investigatory stops, reiterating that race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, disability, or sexual orientation are not to be used as a factor in establishing reasonable suspicion or probable cause, except as part of actual and credible descriptions of a specific suspect.
Prohibit officers from conducting consent searches during consensual encounters. Officers may not conduct a consent search after detaining a subject unless an officer reasonably suspects that the subject has contraband or evidence related to that detention, and the consent must be documented on body camera footage or a signed consent form.
Ensure stops, searches, and seizures comply with the law, as part of an effective overall crime prevention strategy that does not contribute to counterproductive tension with the community.
Commit to providing bias-free services and enforcing laws in a way that is professional, nondiscriminatory, fair, and equitable.
Work with the independent Evaluator Jensen Hughes and DOJ to develop a policy and protocol for responding to calls involving a person in mental health crisis or suffering from a mental health disability. The policy and protocol will include utilizing professional civilian staff, who are trained professionals in responding to mental health crises, to respond when appropriate and available.
Develop and implement policies, guidelines, and training to ensure all supervisors and managers:
- Exercise appropriate supervisory oversight.
- Conduct objective and impartial investigations.
- Are held accountable for meeting agency standards and expectations.
- Engage with and listen to community feedback.
- Incorporate community feedback when able and appropriate.
- Develop and evaluate policing strategies and tactics reflective of contemporary best community policing practices.
Conduct an ongoing audit of incidents where an officer points a firearm at a member of the public or brandishes a firearm in the presence of a member of the public to ensure that its officers are not drawing a firearm solely based on the mere existence of a potential risk (e.g., public contact, pedestrian/traffic stop).

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Arts and Culture

San Jose Jazz Fest ‘24: Fun, Food and an Unforgettable Frankie Beverly Farewell

SAN JOSE — The sounds of summer echoed through the heart of town during the 3-day-long San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 2024, held Aug. 9 – 11. Multiple stages hosted a variety of iconic performers such as Incognito; local favorites like Tia Carroll; and trailblazers such as Herbie Hancock. Guests enjoyed dozens of vendors featuring art, gifts, and clothing. Tasty bites included flame-grilled barbeque, seafood and a variety of desserts

Published

3 days ago

September 16, 2024

Oakland Post

Frankie Beverly performing at the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 2024. Photo Courtesy of Frankie Beverly.

By Carla Thomas

SAN JOSE — The sounds of summer echoed through the heart of town during the 3-day-long San Jose Jazz Summer Fest 2024, held Aug. 9 – 11.

Multiple stages hosted a variety of iconic performers such as Incognito; local favorites like Tia Carroll; and trailblazers such as Herbie Hancock.

Guests enjoyed dozens of vendors featuring art, gifts, and clothing. Tasty bites included flame-grilled barbeque, seafood and a variety of desserts.

Oakland entrepreneur Ava Carrie and several friends said it was great to get out, enjoy the sun and hear great music. “This is a wonderful festival and just a great time with friends,” said Carrie.

Festival goer Cin-Dee said she flew in from Virginia to celebrate her birthday in the Bay Area. She was saddened that she missed Frankie Beverly’s farewell tour that kicked off in March when he performed in her area on the east coast, capping a 50-year career. When Cin-Dee noticed Maze would feature Beverly in the line up at the San Jose Jazz Festival, in a tribute to him, she made sure to cut short her touring of Santa Cruz to not miss the performance on Sunday evening. “I am so happy to be here and have this opportunity to see Frankie with Maze,” she said, dancing to the music. “This is really special and it’s great to see Frankie on stage and hear my favorite songs.”

Maze performed favorites in tribute to Beverly while introducing their new lead singer, Tony Lindsay. During the last stretch of the concert, Beverly performed, “Happy Feelings,” and “I Wanna Thank You.” The performance was emotional for Beverly as the audience stood up and danced during the entire performance, capturing the historic moment on their cell phones.

Maze was founded by Beverly in 1970 in Philadelphia and was recognized by Marvin Gaye when they relocated to the Bay Area in 1971. The group went on to earn nine gold albums between 1977 and 1993 with mega hits such as “Happy Feelin’s” and “Before I Let Go.” Beverly, known for his soulful baritone voice, wrote hit after hit during his five-decade career. Beverly said he was initially inspired by the pacesetting R&B doo-wop group Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers.

Performances at the San Jose Jazz Summer Fest also included the John Santos Sextet, the San Jose Jazz High School All Stars, Faye Carol, Delfaeyo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra, David Benoit Quartet, Andre Thierry Accordion Soul, Ayo Brame, The Family Stone, and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra.

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Bay Area

Advocates Hold Rally to “Issue a Citation” to City to Stop Homeless Encampment Sweeps

Advocates in San Francisco held a rally Thursday afternoon in front of City Hall to issue a symbolic citation to Mayor London Breed, urging an immediate end to the sweeps of homeless encampments in the city. “What do we want? Housing! When do we want it? Now!,” the group chanted. The group of allies and advocates originally intended to start their rally off on Jessie Street, where a sweep of an encampment was going to take place around noon. But, the group had to change their plans because the city allegedly heard about the rally and chose to sweep the area earlier in the day.

Published

3 days ago

September 16, 2024

Oakland Post

San Francisco homelessness advocates held a rally in front of City Hall to issue a symbolic citation to Mayor London Breed to stop sweeping encampments. Photo by Magaly Muñoz.

By Magaly Muñoz

“What do we want? Housing! When do we want it? Now!,” the group chanted.

The group of allies and advocates originally intended to start their rally off on Jessie Street, where a sweep of an encampment was going to take place around noon. But, the group had to change their plans because the city allegedly heard about the rally and chose to sweep the area earlier in the day.

The streets adjacent to Jessie St., such as Mission and Market St, are lined with multiple encampments and unhoused individuals. Many stand in groups or walk along the streets by themselves.

One member of the group, Leah, said she lived in District 6 and what politicians claim is an “open drug market” area. She criticized the extra funding that has gone to the San Francisco Police Department to “solve homelessness” but no positive results have been shown.

“If giving the police more money actually solved the housing crisis, the homelessness crisis…then it would’ve gotten better, but it has actually just been getting worse and worse as more services for poor people have been cut,” Leah said.

Other speakers said the problem with sweeping and citing people for living on the streets is that the homeless problem is being exacerbated, and it’s ultimately not helping those who are struggling.

In order to help alleviate the problem, advocates have called for expansions to permanent supportive housing, resources and services, housing vouchers, and rent relief for struggling residents.

According to the 2024 Point in Time Count, 8,323 people were experiencing homelessness in San Francisco. A seven percent increase since 2022 where there were 7,754 sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals.

In her mission to get people off the streets, Mayor Breed has directed city crews to clear encampments more frequently than before. This decision comes after the landmark case, Grants Pass v. Johnson, was overturned by the U.S Supreme Court and cities were given the authority to ban people from camping or sleeping on the streets.

The mayor also instructed city workers to offer transportation tickets to people before offering shelter with the intent that those who are not originally from San Francisco can return to family or friends elsewhere and services can then be used for long-time residents.

A former homeless resident, Yolanda, in attendance at the rally said it was difficult to get off of living on the streets because of the barriers to housing and services.

Yolanda told the Post that she had grown up in the city with her family, but once her father passed away, there was no one to maintain the bills so they had to relocate to Oakland for a few years. She said her family stayed there for a few years before returning to San Francisco.

As she got older, she found herself living on the streets or in temporary shelter. But these shelters would only allow people to stay for a few months at a time and were very restrictive in what people could do, such as leave when they wanted or have guests with them.

After some time, Yolanda and her boyfriend were selected for housing through a housing allocation program, where she still currently lives now. She said they were one of the lucky ones, but others do not get to experience this same fortune.

She shared that at one point in her journey to find a housing placement, there was a 2,000 person waitlist, making it nearly impossible and disheartening for those looking for a roof to put over their heads.

Yolanda said it was unfair to criminalize people for not being able to afford housing, considering the extremely high costs of living in the area.

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Community

GRIP Invites Community to Walk to End Homelessness, Hunger

The Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP) is warming up for its 38th annual “Harmony Walk to End Hunger and Homelessness” Saturday, Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Nicholl Park in Richmond. Registration is $38 per person and includes event swag and access to all related activities, with discounts available. The event’s new theme, “A Harmony Walk in the Park,” will focus on park activities this year, including a walk to GRIP and back starting at 10 a.m.

Published

3 days ago

September 16, 2024

Oakland Post

Hundreds attended the 32nd Annual GRIP Harmony Walk and 5K Run on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018. Photo by Mike Kinney.

By Kathy Chouteau

The Greater Richmond Interfaith Program (GRIP) is warming up for its 38^th annual “Harmony Walk to End Hunger and Homelessness” Saturday, Oct. 5 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Nicholl Park in Richmond. Registration is $38 per person and includes event swag and access to all related activities, with discounts available.

The event’s new theme, “A Harmony Walk in the Park,” will focus on park activities this year, including a walk to GRIP and back starting at 10 a.m.

Organizers also welcome the community to enjoy a fun run, food truck offerings, vendor booths and other activities as they learn about how GRIP is fighting hunger and homelessness while serving 15,000 people each year in West Contra Costa County.

“What I love about it is how the community comes together from across the region to walk the neighborhood, connect and learn about what’s new at GRIP…,” said Brandon Mercer, a GRIP board member.

During the event, ABC-7 TVs Julian Glover will be on hand alongside other local personalities and community leaders, who will share their experiences with GRIP and with supporting the community, according to the organization.

Food trucks lined up include Curbside Kitchen and Black Star Pirate BBQ, with additional offerings still being coordinated. Live music throughout the day, games/activities for the kids and raffle prizes donated from sponsors—with dinners, merchandise and passes to Disneyland—are also in the mix.

GRIP tipped its hat to its major sponsors—including Chevron, EBMUD, Kaiser Permanente, Lifelong Medical Care, Sims Metal and others—emphasizing that their support helps make this event possible and ensures that the organization can continue to provide vital services to the community.

Nicholl Park is located at 3230 Macdonald Ave. in Richmond. Again, registration is $38 per person. Discounted rates of $12 are available for each additional registration purchased alongside the one full-price registration. The ticket price includes event access, a Harmony Walk T-shirt and five raffle tickets.

Learn more about GRIP.