Brian Krans

Brian Krans

38 posts

Brian Krans is a reporter in the East Bay who covers public health, from cops to COVID. He has written for the Oaklandside, Healthline, California Healthline and the Appeal.

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  May 12, 2022

The Vallejo police war on rap music

Policing and protests have helped shape the rich music scene in Vallejo. But rap musicians are frequent targets of police....

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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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  Mar 23, 2022

Judge says outside investigation into Vallejo police badge-bending tradition has ‘no value’

The judge said retired Sonoma County Sheriff Rob Giordano's investigation into Vallejo police's tradition of badge-bending after shooting someone on duty is "not designed to bring some light" into the practice....

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  Mar 16, 2022

Why did Cherie Nicoletta and others die in Vallejo’s Project RoomKey?

At least four people died in hotels in Vallejo under a statewide initiative to keep people experiencing homelessness safe during the COVID-19 pandemic....

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  Feb 09, 2022

The Willie McCoy tapes: inside the Vallejo police investigation

Never before heard interviews with the officers involved in the Vallejo police killing of Willie McCoy....

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  Dec 08, 2021

Vallejo detective facing termination said there was no option ‘whatsoever’ but to kill Sean Monterrosa

Thursday’s disclosure also contained redacted audio files of interviews with key players as Vallejo detectives investigated their own....

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  Dec 02, 2021

Report finds Vallejo’s Jarrett Tonn violated policy when he killed Sean Monterrosa

The department still has not named Jarrett Tonn as the shooter, but indicated in a press release that it intends to impose discipline for the policy violations....

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  Jul 30, 2021

Investigation into Vallejo police ‘blood death ritual’ to conclude soon

A Vallejo city attorney told a Solano County judge that the independent investigation into so-called ‘badge bending’ should be done by mid-September....

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  May 26, 2021

Drone files raise new questions of evidence destruction in Vallejo police killing of Sean Monterrosa

Newly available files raise new questions about what happened to any footage captured by the drone....

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  Mar 24, 2021

Vallejo is experiencing an epidemic of police shootings — and many of the victims have been unarmed

The Appeal examined 17 fatal shootings by the Vallejo police over the last decade and found at least six cases where the person shot may have been unarmed....

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  Jan 21, 2021

'Captain Taser'

A Vallejo police lieutenant has a long history of excessive force allegations in a department that is under investigation by the California Department of Justice—and he continues to rise in the ranks....

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  Apr 02, 2020

The last trial in California

As the novel coronavirus spread in the state, a Solano County judge denied numerous motions to continue a troubled double kidnapping and rape case marred by allegations that a Vallejo police detective withheld exculpatory evidence....

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