How Open Vallejo Uncovered the Story of Bent Police Badges

A secret clique of Vallejo police officers commemorate killings by bending the tips of their star-shaped badges — and the city’s top leaders did nothing about it.

That's according to Open Vallejo, a recently launched non-profit news organization. For many locals, the story only confirmed their mistrust of a department they feel continues to act with impunity. Last week, police Chief Shawny Williams announced he would launch a third party investigation into the allegations after two VPD employees came forward about the practice. But in a city where local officials have been reluctant to discipline its police department, what is the path forward?

Guest: Geoff King, founder of Open Vallejo and civil liberties lawyer

See Geoff’s article and subscribe to the Open Vallejo podcast here. 

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