Four police officers are standing together, smiling in front of a backdrop with various logos, including those of OTS (California Office of Traffic Safety), NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), and MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). One officer is holding a certificate, which he earned for making 19 impaired driving arrests in the previous year.
Vallejo Police Ofc. Ronald Dupree (second from left) poses while holding a Mothers Against Drunk Driving award in July of 2023. He is joined (from left to right) by Vallejo Police Chief Jason Ta, Capt. Drew Ramsay, and Lt. Michael Nichelini. Credit: Vallejo Police Department

A Vallejo police officer was arrested Wednesday afternoon by Oakland police on three felony charges stemming from alleged domestic violence, public records show. 

Ronald Maurice Dupree, a 29-year-old Vallejo patrol officer, stands accused of inflicting corporal injury on a current or former romantic partner, terrorizing the person with criminal threats, and stalking, according to the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. 

Records show that Dupree is being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, Calif. Attempts to reach him were unsuccessful. 

Sgt. Rashad Hollis, a spokesperson for Vallejo police, said the department is aware of the incident and collaborating with law enforcement partners. 

“The employee is on paid administrative leave, and this remains an ongoing personnel matter,” Hollis said. He declined to provide any further details. 

A group of law enforcement officers in tactical gear is gathered around the entrance of a vehicle, possibly preparing for a tactical operation. The officers are wearing helmets, bulletproof vests, and carrying firearms. One officer is looking towards the camera and smiling, amidst a serious and focused setting. This officer is identified as Ofc. Ronald Dupree from the Vallejo Police Department. There is a marked police vehicle in the foreground.
Vallejo Police Ofc. Ronald Dupree (left) participates in a tactical operation on Jan. 28, 2023 in Vallejo, Calif. Credit: Geoffrey King / Open Vallejo

“The Oakland Police Department is investigating a report of domestic incidents involving an off-duty officer from an outside agency,” department spokesperson Paul Chambers wrote in a statement to Open Vallejo. Oakland officers met with the alleged victim, according to the statement, before obtaining a warrant for Dupree’s arrest.

The screenshot is from an inmate locator system, detailing custody information for Ronald Maurice Dupree. It includes sections for the inmate's name, personal information such as sex, race, occupation, date of birth, eye and hair color, height, and weight. There are also details on arrest, booking, the holding facility, and bail information, with specific codes and descriptions for the charges against the individual. The document lists events with dates and times, including an arrest, a report number, booking details, the housing unit within a facility, bail status, and the next hearing date and location. The charges include corporal injury to a spouse/cohabitant/date, threatening a crime with the intent to terrorize, and stalking. The inmate is listed as not eligible for bail, and the next court proceeding is an arraignment at a specified courthouse and department number.
Dupree was arrested at 4:15 p.m. on Valentine’s Day, records show. He is currently being held without bail at Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, Calif. Credit: Alameda County Sheriff's Office

Dupree joined the Vallejo Police Department in October of 2020. He briefly left the agency for the Napa Police Department but soon returned, sources said. 

While a Vallejo officer, he has earned several commendations for his work. Last July, Dupree received a Mothers Against Drunk Driving award for making 19 impaired driving arrests the previous year, according to Vallejo police. The Vallejo Police Department also awarded him a Medal of Courage during an April 2023 awards luncheon.

Dupree’s arrest comes amid ongoing upheaval in the department, including the impending departure of interim police chief Jason Ta, who recently accepted an offer to become the police chief of Salinas, Calif. And in October, the California Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Vallejo that aims to reform the agency, which first came under scrutiny by the state in 2020 for the “number and nature” of its shootings.

Anna Bauman is an investigative reporter with Open Vallejo.