Shawny Williams, the former police chief of Vallejo in California's San Francisco Bay Area, has delivered shocking testimony about a sustained campaign of racist harassment and threats that ultimately forced his resignation. Williams, who was hired in 2019 to reform a department notorious for violence, described a toxic environment of racial animus and retaliatory behaviour that made his position untenable.
A Campaign of Intimidation
Williams revealed that the harassment was relentless, occurring at his office, his home, and via his email. Even after he tendered his resignation in 2022, threatening letters continued to arrive at his home and a second property he owned outside California. They were hostile, toxic, Williams testified in a federal deposition, adding that he had genuine safety concerns for his wellbeing.
The statements were made as part of a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Vallejo police department brought by Deyana Jenkins. Her case stems from a 2019 incident where officers pulled her from a car and used a taser on her. This occurred just months after six Vallejo officers shot her uncle, Willie McCoy, a 20-year-old rapper, 55 times while he was asleep in his car.
Resistance to Reform and Disturbing Incidents
Williams, the city's first Black police chief, took over with a mandate to clean up a department known for practices like badge bending, where officers reportedly fold back a tip on their badges after a fatal shooting. His reform efforts, however, were met with fierce backlash.
He described specific instances of racial hostility, including a colleague stating, This Black Jesus can’t save us. The threats escalated, becoming frighteningly creative. Three weeks before his October 2022 resignation, a secretary opened a Halloween card threat that emitted a deafening screech, so loud Williams initially thought it was a domestic violence incident outside.
The situation worsened after officer Jarrett Tonn, who shot and killed unarmed 22-year-old Sean Monterrosa in 2020, was reinstated by an arbitrator in 2023 and later promoted. Williams, who had dismissed Tonn, then received anonymous messages warning that some bad things were coming.
Lack of Support and Constructive Termination
Williams stated he repeatedly asked the department to investigate the threats and raised his concerns with city manager Mike Malone. He testified that the city failed to act and that Malone was unsupportive, allegedly telling him on multiple occasions that they’re not going to stop until I fire you or you quit. Williams understood they to be the Vallejo Police Officers' Association (VPOA).
Ultimately, Williams concluded that his resignation was a result of a pattern of constructive termination. He testified that the combination of racial animus and retaliatory actions made it impossible for him to perform his duties in a safe environment, cutting short his attempt to bring accountability to the troubled force.
