Robert McConnell Archives - Open Vallejo

Interior view of a city council meeting showing council members and staff seated in a semi-circle facing a person speaking at a desk. They are behind desks with nameplates and microphones, in a wood-paneled room with an American flag to the side.

Vallejo narrows new city manager selection to two

by Anna Bauman April 26, 2024April 26, 2024

A middle-aged Black man wearing a suit sits to the right of a blonde woman who appears to be in her sixties. She is wearing glasses, a black top and a brown sweater. Both individuals are seated at a wooden city council dais. An American flag hangs behind them.

Vallejo officials’ handling of evidence destruction probe marked by confusion, concern

by Laurence Du Sault and Geoffrey King February 22, 2023December 23, 2023

Vallejo Police Chief Shawny Williams is sworn into office under the gaze of a city surveillance camera on Nov. 12, 2019. A BuzzFeed News investigation found that Vallejo was one of more than 1,800 public entities to use a facial recognition technology so powerful, it is the subject of numerous lawsuits and several government probes. A Vallejo police spokesperson said the department’s command staff were unaware of its use prior to being contacted for comment by Open Vallejo.

Vallejo police secretly tested ‘dystopian’ facial recognition tool

by Brian Howey April 13, 2021October 27, 2023