Our Training

The Vallejo Police Department is committed to taking actionable steps to promote effective crime reduction and build public trust. As part of the Vallejo Police Department’s dedication to building trust with the community and applying safe and effective policing practices, we require advanced training for all our officers each year. 

There are typically six training cycles each year, as shown below. VPD provides regular training, labeled as PSP (Perishable Skills Program), on fundamental tactics and skills to ensure continued proficiency. VPD often brings in outside vendors to provide specialized training on specific focus areas.

In addition, individual officers receive specialized training associated with their rank, specialized assignment or collateral duty.

2022 Training Schedule:

2022 Priority Areas for VPD Training

1. Emotional Survival

This presentation is designed to assist law enforcement professionals by the development of behavioral strategies to inoculate against loss of idealism and inappropriate behavior patterns. It will review the short and long-term effects on law enforcement officers on both the personal and professional aspects of their lives. The course will discuss how the initial enthusiasm and desire to professionally contribute can be transformed into negative cynicism, social distrust and hostility to the world at large that significantly impacts the professionals work performance, decision-making and ultimately over-all quality of life.

The course will also review the impact on the children of law enforcement families in terms of school functioning and health. The goal of the course is to have the law enforcement professional review the potential impact the career causes in the personal life and to develop strategies for overall emotional survival. The strategies are designed to permit the professional to continue functioning effectively and ethically without “burning-out” and without resorting to emotional isolation from friends and colleagues.

2. Crisis Intervention and De-Escalation

VPD’s officers undergo comprehensive training on crisis intervention and de-escalation in order to reduce the use of unnecessary force. The VPD is regularly equipped with the knowledge and techniques of the most current methodologies on conflict diffusion and voluntary compliance and cooperation from hostile, uncooperative, or emotionally upset individuals. 

It is a priority to the VPD to maintain sound officer safety tactics that protect both our team members and individuals who may be suffering with mental illness or an affected mental state. As such, our team is trained to identify people with mental illness and effectively assess the situation, communicate with the person, and utilize de-escalation techniques to resolve the incident safely. 

3. Ethical Policing is Courageous

Ethical Policing Is Courageous (EPIC) is a peer intervention program that teaches officers how to intervene to stop a wrongful action or mistakes before they occur. EPIC encourages active participation in the conduct and well-being of our coworkers for the benefit of everyone in our department and our community. EPIC is based heavily in the history and science of active bystandership and supported by years of research in other demanding fields.