[Excerpt]

"The Vallejo City Council last week appointed the first members to the city’s inaugural police commission, capping a years-long effort to impose community oversight on a police department known nationally for its high rate of lethal violence...

Common Ground, an organization that Vallejo enlisted to help research oversight models, three years ago drafted the more robust ordinance, which granted commissioners the power to remove a police chief with just five votes. It also charged commissioners with preparing a list of four candidates from which the City Manager could select a new chief. But city officials narrowed the oversight board’s powers, stripping it of those functions, while finalizing the ordinance, Nisperos said."

Vallejo Establishes Police Oversight Amid Legacy of Distrust, Open Vallejo [pdf]

[Excerpt]

Organizers who worked for years to pass police oversight are optimistic that it will start the process of reforming one of the more violent police departments in the country.

The Vallejo Sun spoke with several members of Common Ground, a non-partisan group of religious and non-profit organizations in Solano and Napa counties, about their thoughts on the ordinance aimed at holding accountable a police department which has killed 19 people since 2010.

“When you listen to the residents, you hear people say they started this process 20 years ago,” said Renee Sykes, a member of Common Ground. “If you look at 20 years ago, and if you look at now, we now have something in writing, we have something concrete.”

....The city council is expected to officially establish the three-prong oversight approach, including outside investigations of serious police incidents, a Community Police Oversight Accountability Commission, and a police auditor.

Common Ground Optimistic about Vallejo Police Oversight Model, Vallejo Sun

Vallejo City Council Officially Passes Police Oversight Model, Times-Herald

Vallejo Police Oversight Model Expected to be Adopted Tuesday Night, Times-Herald

Vallejo City Council Votes to Introduce Police Oversight Ordinance, Times-Herald

Common Ground ‘Pleased’ With Police Oversight Draft Ordinance, but Lists Number of Omissions, Times-Herald

[Excerpt]

While no formal vote was held, the council said it wanted to see more of a model presented by Common Ground, a non-partisan group of religious and non-profit organizations in Solano and Napa counties, which is advocating for a three-prong approach: a civilian police commission, inspector general, and community police review agency.

The commission made up of Vallejo residents would be tasked with overseeing a review agency, which would investigate officer use of force, including fatal shootings by officers, any in-custody deaths, and allegations of racial profiling by officers....

“We believe the above components provide the transparency and the community involvement needed to establish police oversight and are a critical step in restoring trust between law enforcement and the community,” said Renee Sykes, a member of Common Ground’s public safety committee. “The national spotlight is still on Vallejo, and it will not be shut off until there is a concerted effort on everyone’s part to make a change.”

Vallejo City Council Shows Early Support for Forming Strong Police Commission, Vallejo Sun [pdf]

Vallejo Trying to Meet ‘Common Ground’ Concerning Police Oversight, Times Herald [pdf]

On June 16, Common Ground held a civic academy with over 80 leaders, who learned together about strategies to strengthen testing, tracing, and supportive isolation efforts to contain COVID-19. In the research leading up to their academy, they learned that the county would receive $46.5 million in CARES Act funding throughout the state.

When leaders approached county officials about how these funds would be spent, they were met with surprise — no one seemed to know about the funds.

Common Ground leaders immediately initiated meetings with state legislators, county supervisors, and other officials. They organized house meetings and developed a budget of investments needed to support the needs of Solano county families and workers — including funding for TTSI as well as funds for rental assistance and a promotores outreach program to Spanish-speaking families.

When the budget passed, thanks to the urging of Common Ground leaders, it included double the original proposed amount for rental assistance.

"An enthusiastic crowd of about 1,500 people filled a Vallejo high school gym Sunday afternoon to welcome a new multi-county organization to the community.