John Whitney

  18 posts

  Mar 09, 2023

Former Vallejo police union president lowered promotion standards to make sergeant, whistleblower captain testifies

Vallejo police Sgt. Mat Mustard pushed for a “a very watered down” version of the sergeant’s exam, former Capt. John Whitney testified....

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  Mar 01, 2023

Vallejo police ignored evidence of lieutenant’s timecard fraud, testimony alleges

A former police captain alleged that Lt. Michael Nichelini may have committed time card fraud worth tens of thousands of dollars in the spring and summer of 2018....

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  Feb 28, 2023

Former Vallejo police chief ignored badge bending for years, testimony alleges

Former Capt. John Whitney said the chief knew officers bent their badges after shootings as early as 2014....

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  Feb 14, 2023

Vallejo police ‘leave behind damaged families’

Willie McCoy’s family wants his name to remain synonymous with police violence....

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  Jan 17, 2023

Vallejo officer fired after two fatal shootings had history of subpar police work, records show

Ryan McMahon — who shot and killed Ronell Foster in February 2018 and was one of six officers who shot and killed Willie McCoy a year later — was flagged for poor performance in connection with seven different incidents in 2018 alone....

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  Nov 23, 2022

ACLU sues Vallejo for badge-bending records

The ACLU seeks to compel the city to release an investigatory report completed by former Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano....

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  Jul 20, 2022

Vallejo police killing of Ronell Foster led to internal conflict, newly released records show

While then-Sgt. Sanjay Ramrakha cleared McMahon of any policy violations in the fatal shooting, both the department's deputy police chief and interim police chief who ordered the investigation disagreed....

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  Jul 13, 2022

Records show Vallejo police paid for repaired or replacement badges for officers in shootings

Officers may have obtained refurbished or replacement badges to obscure a tradition of bending the tips of their badges to mark on-duty shootings....

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  Jul 08, 2022

Vallejo police lieutenant files harassment lawsuit against city

Lt. Herman Robinson filed his lawsuit alleging that Chief Shawny Williams has refused to allow him to return to work....

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  Jun 02, 2022

City of Vallejo seeks to quash subpoenas for investigator, PR firm in Monterrosa wrongful death lawsuit

Assistant City Attorney Katelyn Knight also confirmed, for the first time, the names of the other officers present when Vallejo police shot and killed Sean Monterrosa on June 2, 2020....

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  Apr 21, 2022

Arbitrator orders reinstatement of fired Vallejo police lieutenant

The arbitrator also ordered the city to pay 10% interest on Lt. Herman Robinson’s back pay....

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  Mar 31, 2022

How badge bending became a ritual among Vallejo police

For the last two decades, some members of the Vallejo Police Department have bent the tips of badges belonging to officers after they were involved in an on-duty shooting....

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