by John Glidden | glid24@protonmail.com | May 8, 2026
VALLEJO – Following years of delays, the city has begun its search for an independent police auditor that will be tasked with assisting Vallejo’s Police Oversight and Accountability Commission (POAC) on investigations regarding the Vallejo Police Department.
The city released a Request for Proposals (RFP) on April 28 seeking a qualified firm or individual to serve as the Independent Police Auditor. The auditor will be tasked with auditing use of force and bias incidents, make recommendations regarding police policies and training, and review investigatory reports.
According to the formal RFP document, the independent auditor must have a graduate degree in criminal justice, criminology, law, a juris doctor or a closely related field from an accredited college or university, have experience in police practices, policy and training, have a demonstrated understanding of the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights Act and other applicable laws related to sworn police officers; and have experience in human resources.
The search for an independent police auditor comes more than three years after the Vallejo City Council voted in December 2022 to establish a police oversight model. However, there has been a years-long delay, as the city’s ordinance establishing police oversight required a meet and confer process with the Vallejo Police Officers’ Association.
Before those meetings could occur, the police union filed a complaint with the Public Employment Relations Board in 2023, stopping the meet and confer process.
Last December, the city announced the meet and confer process had ended allowing the city to move forward with the oversight model following a two-year delay.
Creation of a police oversight model is one of 45 reforms required by the state Department of Justice in a 2020 agreement following years of frustration from community members over the number of high-profile fatal police shootings, including those of Willie McCoy, Sean Monterrosa, and Angel Ramos.
In April 2024, the Justice Department and city of Vallejo agreed to appoint international firm Jensen Hughes, as an evaluator that will oversee reform efforts and report directly to the Justice Department, according to a 60-page settlement.
Meanwhile, the hiring of a new independent police auditor comes during turnover at city hall.
Despite City Manager Andrew Murray resigning from the city on April 8, walking away with $128,352 in severance pay, the city continued with the RFP releasing it on April 28. The city council has since appointed Harry Black as interim city manager. Black is scheduled to begin with the city on May 16.
According to the RFP, the auditor will be hired by the city manager in July with the RFP closing on May 22.
Just this week, the Police Oversight and Accountability Commission approved a new policy for handling complaints submitted about Vallejo Police Department employees. The new policy denotes how complaints against Vallejo police personnel will be accepted, investigated and resolved.
JohnGlidden.com 