YONKERS, N.Y. — The Justice Department announced on Wednesday the successful conclusion of an eight-year oversight agreement with the Yonkers Police Department (YPD), marking significant improvements in the department’s policies, practices, and constitutional policing standards.
The agreement, initiated in 2016, required the YPD to enhance its use-of-force protocols, misconduct investigations, stops and searches, First Amendment protections, and community policing efforts. The Justice Department confirmed that the city and police department have implemented and sustained the required reforms for over a year.
“This success demonstrates the fundamental truth that fair, constitutional and effective policing can enhance public safety and promote trust between police and the community,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. She commended YPD leadership, including current and former commissioners, for their dedication to reforms.
Key achievements under the agreement include a dramatic reduction in excessive force settlements, improved internal investigations timelines, and a significant decrease in violent crime. From 2017 to 2023, violent crime in Yonkers dropped by 22%, while average completion times for critical use-of-force investigations fell from 245 days in 2019 to just 69 days in 2023.
U.S. Attorney Damian Williams for the Southern District of New York emphasized the department’s transformation, stating, “The Yonkers Police Department has achieved substantial compliance with all provisions of the agreement and demonstrated a commitment to serving the community.”