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Deputy chief explains Lexipol workflow and CalDOJ27s role as POAC prepares to review the complaints policy
Summary
Deputy Chief Bob Knight told the commission how department policies flow through Lexipol and highlighted distinctions between routine Lexipol updates and policies vetted with the California Department of Justice; commissioners were told the complaints policy will be the first POAC review and that the commission has 45 days to provide recommendations once it receives a policy.
Deputy Chief Bob Knight told the Vallejo Police Oversight and Accountability Commission on Feb. 1 that the department houses its policies in Lexipol, a widely used policy-management system, and that Lexipol issues recommendations that agencies can accept, decline or customize.
Knight said the department currently has about 11 policies pending POAC review: five new-policy recommendations, four revised policies and several legislative or case-law updates. He described three "buckets" of policy work: new policies (no prior text), revised policies (agency-level edits), and legislative/case-law-driven updates.
"Lexipol has a team of lawyers and police practice experts that give recommendations on what are best practices," Knight said, adding that the agency can accept or decline Lexipol27s suggestions and may customize language to be agency-specific.
Staff and the city attorney clarified how policies tied to the city27s settlement work with the California Department of Justice (CalDOJ) differ from routine Lexipol updates. Policies subject to CalDOJ review have a more extensive vetting process and will include at least two public input stages: commission review and a later town-hall presentation run by the department. The complaints policy, which relates to the settlement work, will be the first policy presented to the commission.
Knight recommended a workflow to avoid overwhelming the commission: identify the policies that require deeper discussion, provide release notes and, when possible, give red-line or summary materials ahead of the 45-day input clock so commissioners and the public can review and prepare.
Why it matters: Understanding the policy workflow — what Lexipol proposes versus what CalDOJ has required — sets expectations for POAC27s review responsibilities and public engagement. The complaints policy is time-sensitive and will be scheduled for a special meeting so the commission can provide timely input.
Commissioners asked whether policy changes tied to pending court decisions should wait until case law is final; staff said Lexipol and the department legal team track that and will rely on legal guidance before making formal policy changes.
