www.Cityofvallejo.net
PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL
SUBCOMMITTEE REGULAR
MEETING AT 6:00 PM
NOVEMBER 5, 2025
Vallejo Room (Lower-Level JFK Library)
505 Santa Clara Street
Vallejo, CA 94590
SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBERS
Tonia Lediju. PhD (Councilmember, District 3)
Alexander Matias (Councilmember, District 1)
Charles Palmares (Councilmember, District 4)
PUBLIC COMMENT: Members of the Public may
provide public comments during the Meeting in
person only.
The Vallejo Room will be open to members of the
public 30 minutes prior to the start of the meeting.
Scan QR code for live captions and translation in Spanish and Tagalog.
Any supplemental writing related to an agenda item for an open session of a regular meeting that is distributed to all or a majority of all members of the subcommittee less than 72 hours before the meeting will be posted concurrently on the City’s website at www.cityofvallejo.net/agendas Written material distributed during the meeting, will be available at the meeting if prepared by the City or after the meeting if prepared by someone else. Such materials may be obtained from the Secretary
Vallejo Room is ADA compliant. Devices for the hearing impaired are available from the City Clerk. Requests for disability related modifications or accommodations, aids or services may be made by a person with a disability to the City Clerk’s office no less than 72 hours prior to the meeting by contacting via email [email protected] or via phone at (707) 648-5200 as required by Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the federal rules and regulations adopted in implementation thereof
AGENDA
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A APPROVE MINUTES
Recommendation: Approve minutes for the regular meeting of October 1, 2025 Contact: Jason Ta, Chief of Police
[email protected]
5. OPERATIONS BUREAU MONTHYL STAISTICAL REPORT
Report is a standing agenda topic and covers many topics to include: police staffing, crime trends, collision data, and overall department activity
6. ACTION ITEMS
A SEX TRAFFICKING REDUCTION PROPOSAL
Recommendation: Public Safety Subcommittee to receive the proposal and recommend to the City Council approval to initiate the program for launch as soon as soon as approved by Council
Contact: Jason Ta, Chief of Police
[email protected]
B COMMUNITY WATCH PROGRAM INCLUDING HOLIDAY SHOPPING
SAFETY
Recommendation: Receive presentation and provide direction to staff Contact: Jason Ta, Chief of Police
[email protected]
7. IDENTIFY ITEMS FOR SUBCOMMITTEE TO AGENDIZE FOR FUTURE MEETINGS
8. ADJOURNMENT
ADDITIONAL CITY INFORMATION
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I, Dawn G. Abrahamson, City Clerk do hereby certify that I have caused a true copy of the above notice and agenda to be delivered to
Tonia Lediju. PhD (Councilmember, District 3)
Alexander Matias (Councilmember, District 1)
Charles Palmares (Councilmember, District 4),
at the time and in the manner prescribed by law and that this agenda was posted at City Hall, 555 Santa Clara Street, CA at 11:00 a.m., Friday, October 31, 2025.
Dated: Friday, October 31, 2025
Public Safety Council Subcommittee
Special Meeting Minutes
October 1, 2025
Page | 1
PUBLIC SAFETY COUNCIL SUBCOMMITTEE
SPECIAL MEETING MINUTES
October 1, 2025
Vallejo Room (Lower Level of JFK Library)
505 Santa Clara Street, Vallejo, California
1. CALL TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order at 6:24 p.m.
2. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
3. ROLL CALL
Present: Councilmembers Lediju, Matias and Palmares
Staff present: Deputy Police Chief Knight, Sergeant Hollis, Chief Deputy City Attorney Risner
4. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Action: moved by CM Palmares and carried unanimously to approve the minutes from the September 4, 2025, special meeting.
A Approval of minutes for the special meeting of September 4, 2025
5. UPDATE ON PUBLIC SAFETY ITEMS
A UPDATE ON THE FOLLOWING PUBLIC SAFETY ITEMS
• Police Reform Update Including Recruitment & Hiring
• Human Trafficking
• Traffic Safety
• Community Watch Program Including Holiday Shopping Safety • Criminal Activity at White Slough Including Abandoned Vehicles • Street Paving Update
Police Record Update Including Recruitment & Hiring: Deputy Chief Knight reported that VPD currently has 81 officers (including 42 in patrol) with 129 positions allotted but only 114 budgeted. The new P.O.P. Team is operational and showing positive results. AllStar Recruiting is assisting with recruitment efforts. The Cadet Program has launched one cadet has been hired and five to six cadets are going through background checks.
Councilmember Lediju inquired about the number of Vallejo residents among officers (none currently), overtime usage, training practices, and the lack of community involvement in Bias-Free Policing reviews.
Councilmember Matias emphasized the importance of increasing female recruitment, aligning with the 30x30 hiring initiative.
Public Safety Council Subcommittee
Special Meeting Minutes
October 1, 2025
Page | 2
Human Trafficking: Councilmembers discussed approaches to addressing sex work and trafficking in Vallejo. Councilmember Matias suggested exploring the use of TabiMoms, collaborating with federal partners, and launching a public awareness campaign.
The City Attorney’s Office advised that indecent exposure laws are not an effective enforcement option.
Council Member Palmares asked who oversees the sex worker program, noting it is a partnership between the Police Department and the community, and suggested conducting outreach in neighborhoods identified as hot zones. He also mentioned that ReportJohn.org is active and recommended adding signage to support public awareness.
Council member Lediju emphasized the importance of educating the community about the issues surrounding sex work, calling for more visible and direct signage, outreach and enforcement at hotels that may be facilitating such activity, and holding those establishments accountable.
Action: moved by Council member Matias and carried unanimously to direct the Public Safety Department to prepare a memo to Council addressing sex trafficking and prostitution, with Council Member Lediju requesting that the Vallejo Police Department draft the memo for subcommittee review first.
Traffic Safety: Traffic calming efforts on BW Williams have been successful, and the CHP continues to assist with enforcement on Sonoma Boulevard. The CHP’s crime suppression operations, initially held twice a month to address sideshows, have been reduced to once a month due to improved conditions. Reports through See-Click-Fix decreased significantly from around 4,000 to between 2,000 and 2,500. The City is also evaluating the use of speed tables versus speed bumps for traffic control. CM Matias expressed interest in increasing the number of flashing traffic signs and plans to propose funding for them within the next year.
Community Watch Program Including Holiday Shopping Safety: CM Matias moved to continue the item to the November 2025 meeting. Motion carried unanimously.
Criminal Activity at White Slough Including Abandoned Vehicles: The City Attorney’s Office is working with three private property owners on plans.
Community members voiced concerns
Recommendation to create a Homeless Roundtable with all stakeholders
Street Paving Update provided by Interim Public Works Director, Oscar Alcantar: Public Works reported receiving nine requests for traffic circles, each costing approximately $60,000, and is coordinating with the Fire Department and
Public Safety Council Subcommittee
Special Meeting Minutes
October 1, 2025
Page | 3
others to evaluate speed tables versus speed bumps. The 2026 Measure P Road Repair Project will allocate $1 million for improvements. PW Director Alcantar emphasized the need for a voice-to-voice or in-person complaint system to supplement SeeClickFix, which lacks opportunities for clarification. Additional updates included waiting for Caltrans approval on the Springs Road Rehabilitation and Road Diet-Waiting Project, completing 80 ramps and dig-outs across 32 streets, progressing on the 17 Safe Crossings Project to pave intersections, transitioning from copper to aluminum lighting, beginning solar light installations along Curtola Parkway, and completing waterfront lighting with the next phase extending citywide.
6. IDENTIFY ITEMS FOR SUBCOMMITTEE TO AGENDIZE FOR FUTURE MEETINGS
Subcommittee members identified the following items for future meetings:
Council member Matias suggested narrowing future agendas to two or three focused items to allow for more effective discussions and requested that monthly Operations Reports continue.
Council member Lediju emphasized monitoring the recent increase in domestic violence cases, asked for more detailed breakdowns in Use of Force reports— such as officer length of service—and inquired about including gang-related updates.
Council member Palmares requested an update on Vallejo Vision and recidivism rates, as well as a pros-and-cons analysis of the Real Time Crime Center
7. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 10:47 p.m.
Vallejo Police Department
Sex Trafficking Reduction Program Proposal
Submitted by: Captain Jerome Bautista
1. Executive Summary
Throughout the years, sex trafficking along with prostitution related activity has significantly increased in the downtown areas of Vallejo. The Vallejo Police Department’s POP (Problem Oriented Policing) Team will conduct operations to reduce this type of activity. These operations would span over the course of several months starting in October 2025 through March 2026. The POP Team will carry out this sex trafficking reduction campaign in a series of phases.
Phase 1 Surveillance & Intelligence Gathering Operations: this phase will be used to identify potential sex buyers, aka. “Johns”, with the focus of enforcement on the “Johns.” These operations will assist in identifying known prostitutes and “Johns” who are frequenting the affected area and result in demand reduction police contacts pursuant to the new Penal Code 653.22.
Technology will also be utilized to support intelligence gathering, enforcement engagements, and criminal prosecutions.
Phase 2 Undercover Sting Operations: this phase will be focused on identifying prostitutes soliciting “Johns” for sex acts both on the streets and via internet solicitation sites. This will consist of using an undercover (UC) officer posing as a “John” to facilitate a transaction with a prostitute to obtain evidence for a violation of Penal Code 647(b).
Phase 3 Reverse Sting Operations: this phase will target “Johns” utilizing undercover (UC) surveillance and UC officers posing as prostitutes
These operations will occur 1-4 times per month depending on caseload, availability of resources, and other crime trends occurring throughout the City. There may be opportunities to conduct more operations during Phase 1, which do not require as much operational planning and resources as Phases 2 and 3.
Upon completion of Phase 3, there should be a noticeable reduction in the amount of prostitution activity throughout the affected areas of Vallejo, allowing VPD to focus on and funnel support services for the remaining prostitutes and victims of human trafficking to find exit strategies out of the sex worker lifestyle.
In addition to conducting covert operations, The POP team will also monitor social media and escort sites for potential human trafficking and pimping/pandering violations.
Non-profit provider and Outreach Services
In all of these cases, services and support will be offered. VPD will work with IHART (Integrated Health and Resource Team) staff who are actively collaborating with Community Based Organizations to assist victims of human trafficking with the following:
• Relocation services
• Temporary housing in a safe house or shelter
• Family reunification
• Travel Expenses
• Hotel fees for temporary housing
• Therapy
• Assist with restraining orders
• Health exams
• Internal and external trainings and networking
• Literature and flyers for awareness and resources, hotlines information, tips for victims of sex crimes (multi language)
• Billboards, signage in affected areas, digital media campaign (YouTube, Tik Tok, etc.), pop-up banners, other associated literature (busses, convenient stores, shopping centers, etc.)
• Expand Report John Program, administrative expenses (office and IT expenses) • IT support
• Other non-profit administrative and operational expenses
Additionally, VPD utilizes the Report John Program (RJP), which is facilitated though the South Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking. VPD has an ongoing partnership with The South Bay Coalition to End Human Trafficking and will continue to leverage their support and resources.
Their Coalition offers training, strategic development, outreach and advocacy with a focus on human trafficking.
At the conclusion of this pilot initiative, VPD will re-evaluate the amount of prostitution activity still present to determine the efficacy of the program. This program will serve as a deterrence for prostitution activity and human trafficking and can be reinitiated, as necessary, throughout the year.
2. Background & Need
Police in California have faced challenges related to law enforcement action around street sex work. There were previously two misdemeanor state laws that governed street prostitution activity: Penal Code 647(b) – which is the actual act of engaging in or soliciting the act of prostitution (which means you have to prove there has been an agreement to exchange money for a sex act). The other law was Penal Code 653.22 which made it illegal to loiter with the intent to commit the act of prostitution or solicitation thereof (this means you didn’t need to prove there was an agreement to exchange money for a sex act, but rather that the prostitute or buyer was merely loitering for that purpose).
It is much harder to prove the act of 647(b) because the traditional method to establish there is an agreement of money for a sex act is accomplished through undercover sting operation. This can be done either by utilizing an undercover officer posing as a “John” soliciting a prostitute, or using an undercover police officer to act as a prostitute. VPD has successfully conducted these operations many times over the years using our street crimes team that has recently been reconstituted in the form of our POP Team as of September 2025.
Penal Code 653.22 was a better tool for law enforcement as it made it a misdemeanor to merely loiter with the intent to engage or solicit prostitution. This law allowed officers to detain suspected sex workers or “Johns” when they observed evidence of the crime (ie. standing in the street flagging down cars, a potential “John” circling the block in a vehicle and beckoning suspect sex workers, being present in a high prostitution area dressed in revealing clothing and/or leaning into a vehicle talking with a suspected “John”).
In January of 2023, the Governor of California repealed Penal Code 653.22 through Senate Bill 357. With the repealing of that law, police lost the tool of enforcing loitering with the intent to commit or solicit prostitution. Officers were no longer able to detain a person if they suspect they are loitering with the intent to commit or solicit prostitution.
In August 2025, California Assembly Bill 379 (AB379) was signed into law, bringing back Penal Code 653.22. The new law now made it a misdemeanor for “Johns”/buyers to loiter with the intent to purchase sex. This bill also increases penalties for adults who solicit sex from minors.
3. Program Objectives (Goals)
1. Reduce prostitution activity and sex trafficking throughout the City of Vallejo
2. Provide sex workers with resources and alternative choices/ exit strategies to their current lifestyle
3. Reduce the amount of visible prostitution activity in the affected areas of Vallejo
4. Empower the community to take an active role utilizing Report John program
5. Leverage relationships with federal partners, to include FBI, via VPD public safety partnership (PSP) to seek specialized assistance related to human trafficking
6. As an alternative to police enforcement, utilize IHART and other CBO’s to engage in conversation with sex workers and offer resources
7. Document and report all enforcement activities monthly to command staff, including hours served, duties performed, and measurable outcomes.
4. Staffing Structure
Program Coordinator: Investigations Division Lieutenant (Lt. Caitham) Program Supervisor: POP Team Sergeant (Sgt. Samaniego)
Enforcement: POP Team Officers (Cpl. Knowles, Ofc. McKenna, and Ofc. E. Diaz) Additional Officers/ Corporals on OT: TBD
Human Trafficking Liaison: Sgt. Hollis and Katie Burns (IHART) Date Analytics and Tracking: Crime Analyst Allen Pigg
Program Support: Police Clerk Christy Her
5. Roles & Assignments
Program Coordinator: Investigations Lieutenant (Lt. Caitham) • Performs administrative duties and organizational tasks to support the Program Supervisor and Team
Program Supervisor: POP Team Sergeant (Sgt. Samaniego)
• Managing the operational details of duties assigned
Enforcement: POP Team Officers (Cpl. Knowles, Ofc. McKenna, and Ofc. E. Diaz) • Carry out
Additional Officers on OT
• These type of operations are resource heavy, as well as expose UC officers to enhanced dangers. They require an ample amount of officers to provide adequate safety and prosecution capabilities
Human Trafficking Liaison: Sgt. Hollis and Katie Burns (IHART) • Coordinate resources and services to victims of human trafficking • Report John Program
Crime Analyst: Allen Pigg
• Analyze data and crime stats to determine efficacy of program
Police Clerk: TBD
• Logistical support, documentation, scheduling meetings, tracking progress
6. Training & Risk Mitigation
Preferred Training:
ICI Human Trafficking Investigations – March 2026 – Folsom CA https://theacademy.ca.gov/event/ici- human-trafficking-investigations-26/
Cost: $2000 Course, Lodging $1500= $3500 Total
Safety in Motion: Combatting Human Trafficking, Exploitation, and Violence – October 2025/ Annually – San Jose CA
https://events.humanitix.com/safety-in-motion-2026
Cost: $43.29 Course, 4 Attendees= $173.16 Total
Orange County Course for first responders
https://www.ochumantrafficking.com/law-enforcement-training
Cost: Free Course
Lexipol Human Trafficking – Operating a Task Force – Online Self-Paced course - https://www.policeoneacademy.com/ca-post-accreditation/ Cost: Free Online Training
Additional training and networking for civilian and non-profit staff
In House Training:
• Human Trafficking Investigations
• Surveillance Tactics
• Plain Clothes Operations
• Social Media Investigations
Operation Plans and Briefings will occur prior to every operation
7. Uniforms & Equipment
Each POP Team Officer will be issued the following:
Uniform
• Outer vest carriers and attachments specific to undercover work: $400
Equipment
• Duty bag: $100
• Binoculars: $600
• Laptops with air cards: $1500
• Trackers: $1200
• Medical kits: $200
8. Vehicles & Equipment
• Rental Vehicle: $50-$100 Daily
o Rental vehicles to assist with operational details
• Hotel Rental: $100- $150 Daily
o To conduct undercover sting operations of internet based prostitution
• Personnel equipment needed to perform operations
• Drone: Exterior $10,000 Interior $2000
o To monitor prostitution activity, undercover operation surveillance, and officer safety should an officer be taken against their will
• Security Tower (currently funded, however additional future funding may be required to support this program)
9. Program Budget Estimate
Item Quantity Unit Cost Total
Uniform 4 $400 $1,600
Equipment 4 $3,600 $14,400
Training 4 $3,543.29 $14,173.16
Rental Vehicles 4 $100 as needed $1000
Hotel Rental 4 $150 as needed $1,500
Drones
2= 1 Exterior
Drone ($9000)
and 1 Interior
Drone ($3000)
$12,000 $12,000
Community Messaging: Community
Flyers
Billboard
500 Flyers $500 $500
Community Messaging: Billboards
Size 14’ x 40’=
$6000-$10,000
(4 weeks)
Size 10.5’ x 22’=
$1100-$1400
(4 weeks)
$10,000 (4 weeks)
$1400 (4 weeks
$10,000 or $1,400
Overtime
4 Officers on OT
to augment POP
officers
OT Rate for
Corporal/ Officer:
$118.92 per hour
$28,540.80 per
officer x 4 OT
Corporal/ Officers:
= $114,163.20
Total includes
4 operations per
month for
6 months
10 hours/1day
240 hours total per
officer
Total — — $160,736 -169,336
Potential funding Sources: To be recommended by City Manager’s office, Public Safety committee or city council. General Fund, public safety grants, donations, and partnerships with local community-based organizations and businesses.
10. Legal & Liability Compliance
All POP Team members will maintain ongoing training and comply with VPD policies and procedures as is standard practice.
11. Implementation Timeline Subject to modification based on date of approval by City Council Phase 1 – Surveillance and Intelligence gathering (Oct–Nov 2025) Phase 2 – UC Operations focused on identifying prostitutes soliciting “Johns” for sex, both street and internet solicitation (Dec–Jan 2026)
Phase 3 – UC Operations focused on “Johns” (Feb–March 2025)
Ongoing monitoring of social media and escort dating sites
12. Performance & Sustainability
Key Metrics:
• Crime stats (before and after operation periods)
• Total hours logged monthly
• Number of operations
• Number of arrests
• Number of services provided
• Community meeting feedback
Sustainability Plan:
• Additional staffing for POP Team
• Ongoing training
• Annual program review with recommendations for scaling • Periodic program assessment
• Integration of costs into VPD’s annual operational budget
13. Community Messaging Strategy
Program Marketing:
• Use of billboard(s) as mechanism for messaging no tolerance for buyer of street sex work. Provide information for sex workers on resources to leave the lifestyle and outline consequences for “Johns”. Size 14’ x 40’ billboard located at Sonoma Blvd./Georgia St.
Size 10.5’ x 22’ billboards located at Sonoma Blvd./Florida St. & Sonoma Blvd./Capitol St. [approximate prices listed in budget proposal]
• Distribution of informational flyer to local businesses and residents. Flyer should contain information on the campaign and what they can do to help, to include information on reportjohn.org. [approximate prices listed in budget proposal] • Signage in effected areas advertising Report John program or “No Sex Trafficking Zone” to be produced by Public Works
Community Inclusion:
• VPD and other stakeholders will hold a series of community meetings to seek feedback and identify gaps in the program as we enter into Phase 2 and/or 3. • Leverage the City’s block party program after Phase 3 to signify the undertakings of the program and allow the neighborhoods to demonstrate their commitment to having a peaceful community free of sex trafficking activity.
14. Conclusion
Integrating a Sex Trafficking Reduction Program within VPD Operations will strengthen the Department’s connection to the community, give citizens confidence in VPD’s proactive enforcement against prostitution and human trafficking, and provide exit strategies for sex workers by offering support and services. Substantial costs will be necessary to fund uniforms, equipment and training; however, the program offers a high return on investment in both public trust and operational efficiency.
We are requesting a motion from the Public Safety Subcommittee to the Vallejo City Council recommending approval to initiate the program for launch in October 2025 (Date subject to modification based on date of approval by City Council).