PRESS RELEASE: City of Yonkers Ranked Second Safest City of its size in the U.S.

YONKERS, NY – November 29, 2016 – Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano along with Yonkers Police Commissioner Charles Gardner today announced the City of Yonkers has been ranked the second safest large city in the United States. According to the recently released Uniform Crime Report (UCR) Part 1 crime statistics posted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Yonkers moved up from the third safest city to the second safest city among the top 150 cities by population.

“Yonkers is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our residents,” said Mayor Mike Spano. “We continually work to address the changing needs and challenges of our neighborhoods. These stats reflect that, and would not be possible without the steadfast and dedicated work of our Yonkers Police department, especially the fine men and women who patrol our streets each day to safeguard our residents.”

The Yonkers Police Department also announced that the city’s overall crime rate has decreased by 30% since January 1, 2012.  Since Mayor Spano came into office in 2012 and appointed Commissioner Gardner, Yonkers has recorded four straight years (2012-2015) of crime reduction.

Additional crime and safety statistics released by the Yonkers Police Department include:

• Yonkers has the second lowest crime rate of all US cities in the with a population between 190,000 and 250,000
• Yonkers has the second lowest crime rate of the top 25 cities in New York State
• Yonkers has the lowest crime rate among New York’s big 5 cities (New York City, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse)
• Yonkers has a lowest crime rate among Westchester County’s big cities (Mt. Vernon, White Plains and New Rochelle)

“Over the past five years the men & women of the Yonkers Police Department have worked diligently to bring down overall crime in our City by 30%.  This is a significant accomplishment,” stated Police Commissioner Charles Gardner.  We remain one of the safest cities in the nation and according to FBI statistics we now have the second lowest crime rate in the country for cities of similar size & population.  At the same time we continue to improve relations with the community through a myriad of community outreach programs and initiatives.”  

Mayor Spano continued, “Yonkers Police leads by example. Our police department continues to be efficient with the resources provided to them as proven by the numerous community outreach initiatives and enhanced training that bridges the gap between law enforcement officials and our residents. We will continue to work vigorously so that Yonkers remains a safe city to live, work and play.”

FBI crime statistics can be found at www.fbi.gov. 

PRESS RELEASE: City of Yonkers Celebrates the Holiday Season with Neighborhood Tree and Menorah Lightings

YONKERS, NY -- November 22, 2016 – Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano today announced the City of Yonkers will usher in the 2016 holiday season with several neighborhood Christmas tree and Menorah lightings during the month of November & December. Yonkers kicks off the season with the Yonkers City Hall Christmas Tree Lighting, Tuesday, November 29 at 4:30pm, which will feature performances from Yonkers Idols, Yonkers Public Schools students and Sarah Lawrence College and a visit from Santa Claus.

“The holidays are the most wonderful time of year to join together with family, friends and neighbors,” said Mayor Spano. “I encourage all to come out and join in the festivities as events like these create a stronger and more vibrant community.”

The schedule for the Christmas tree lightings in Yonkers are as follows:

·  City of Yonkers (City Hall exterior facing S Broadway) – November 29 at 4:30pm

· Downtown/Waterfront BID (Getty Square, Intersection of Main St., New Main St., & N. Broadway)
- December 1 at 4:30pm

· Untermyer Performing Arts Council (Untermyer Park, 945 N. Broadway)
- December 2 at 5:00pm

· Colonial Heights Residents’ Association (St. George Pkwy & Longvue Terrace)
- December 2 at 7:00pm

· McLean Avenue Merchants Association (Conor Park, McLean Ave and Central Park Ave)
– December 7at 6:00pm

· Park Hill Residents’ Association (Rumsey Rd & Spring St) – December 7 at 7:00pm

· South Broadway BID (Lincoln Park) – December 8 at 5:30pm

· Crestwood Tree Lighting (American Legion Plaza) – December 8 at 7:00pm

· Untermyer Conservancy (Untermyer Park, 945 N. Broadway) – December 9 at 6:00pm

The schedule for Menorah lightings in Yonkers are as follows: 

· City of Yonkers Menorah Lighting (City Hall Rotunda) – December 20, at 4:30pm

· Cross County Shopping Center Chanukah Celebration – December 27, Time TBD

· Ridge Hill (outside Fountain Plaza, 1 Ridge Hill Blvd) – December 28, Time TBD

DENNIS SHEPHERD, YONKERS COUNCILMEMBER, 4TH DISTRICT

Councilman Shepherd is serving his second term as an elected official in the city of Yonkers, but this is not the beginning of his work to help improve our city. He moved to the city in 1984 and since 1996 has been active in the Hyatt Association, a 1500 member neighborhood association, on the Southeast side of Yonkers. In 2001 he became President of the association and worked tirelessly on community issues till the start of his campaign in 2009.

While working with the Hyatt Association he was able to help facilitate many issues such as renovating the Mclean Avenue commercial strip, upgrading Stillwell Park and removing graffiti, and lobbying to tear down the old parking lot at Empire City and improve local security. As a part of the McMansion Taskforce, a committee designated for sensible housing development, Shepherd fought for tougher zoning laws.

Some of Shepherd’s other accomplishments include working with Senator Jeff Klein to secure additional funding for flooding issues in Southeast Yonkers, working with Congressman Eliot Engel’s office to prevent spending $1.6 billion on unnecessary cover for the Hillview Reservoir and raising thousands of dollars in private funds to provide cooling vests for U.S. troops serving in Iraq.

He is prepared now with his increased influence on city matters as a Councilman to continue his work for the citizens of our city. Quality of life issues are a top priority for him. He is aware, as a citizen and homeowner in Yonkers, of the concerns of our neighborhoods. Creating jobs, concerns of elderly and education of our youth, local safety, smart business development, and tax burden are just some of the issues he will continue working on.

Councilman Shepherd was born in the Bronx and attended St. Rita’s parochial school and Mater Christi (now St. John’s Prep) High School. He graduated from St. John’s University with a B.S. in Marketing in 1974.

He began his career at IBM in 1971 while in college and was hired full time after graduation. He went on to a successful career with IBM and was in the top 1% in the US with $30million in sales. He received several prestigious awards while there, including the 100% Club for 5 years and the 1996 Golden Circle. During his career he was responsible for managing $90millon budgets while working as a Financial Analyst with select Wall Street corporations.

He has been married for 14 years to his lovely wife, Roberta Morreale Shepherd, a lifelong Yonkers resident and graduate of Maria Regina High School.

During his first term in office, Dennis advocated on behalf of his constituents to address many quality of concerns. He continues to work closely with the community and home owner associations in the 4th District, having been able to establish the now annual McLean Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Fall Festival. One of the Councilmember’s proudest accomplishments was being able to work with the mayor and MAMA to erect the 9-11 Memorial at Conor Park, honoring Yonkers’ fallen heroes.

PRESS RELEASE: Yonkers Police Department and U.S. Department of Justice Sign Agreement Closing Investigation Into Alleged Police Practices

YONKERS, NY – November 14, 2016 – Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano today announced the Yonkers Police Department (YPD) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) have signed an agreement regarding a federal investigation concerning alleged improper police practices by the Yonkers Police Department.

In the agreement, signed by Mayor Spano and U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, the Department of Justice states there is no sufficient evidence of a pattern of race-biased policing by the Yonkers Police Department. 

“Today’s settlement is the result of many years of negotiations between the City and our Department of Justice -- exhibiting cooperation, not confrontation,” said Mayor Spano. “As a result, the federal government is not imposing a federal monitor, consent decree, nor any punitive or financial measures against the city. Our Yonkers Police Department continues to implement best policing practices that build improved relationships with our community.”

Since the initial complaints were made regarding the Yonkers Police, the department has made considerable strides in community policing initiatives, including the implementation of several programs that bridge the gap between the police and the community. Programs like the Youth Police Initiative bring patrol officers and at-risk young people together to work out conflicts in advance. Other services such as the Police Explorer Program, the Youth Police Academy and the Youth Police Coalition also have proven to be highly effective in connecting residents with local police officers.

The implementation of new police training practices and community policing initiatives has resulted in the Yonkers Police Department experiencing a 76% decrease in excessive force complaints and a 44% decrease in citizen complaints since 2011.

“The Yonkers Police Department is completely supportive of constitutional police practices,” noted Yonkers Police Commissioner Charles Gardner.  “The provisions of this mutual agreement represent the values we already hold and have sought to implement over the years.  We will continue to work collaboratively with the DOJ on the implementation of the agreement.”

The final signed agreement includes the following:

·         There is no court-filing, assigned judge, injunction or court monitor.

·         The agreement is not an admission of wrongdoing

·         No aspect of the YPD’s managerial discretion is impaired. The Commissioner and his staff have full authority to run the YPD without outside interference.

·         If a court or other agency determines that the agreement conflicts with a union contract, the union contract shall control.

·         To adopt use of force policies and procedures that ensure that significant uses of force are reported and reviewed by the chain of command or Internal Affairs.

·         Procedures for proper implementation of stop-and-search activities will be put in

place with reporting requirements. Traffic stops are excluded from the agreement (unless coupled with a stop for a reason other than traffic enforcement).

·         Provisions for an enhanced computerized data or risk management system require

YPD to collect more data to identify areas for potential improvement.

·         All YPD personnel must have enhanced training including at least 32 hours per year of special training away from their normal duties.

·         There will be no independent monitor paid for by the City.  DOJ will hire its own consultant to periodically review and report to DOJ on YPD’s progress toward compliance. 

·         The agreement must be in place for at least two years. It may be dissolved after two years if the YPD has been in compliance with all substantive provisions for at least 12 months.

In August 2007, the Department of Justice opened the investigation regarding alleged pattern of improper police practices based on a series of complaints received by the DOJ in 2006-2007.  In April 2012, the Department of Justice informed the City of Yonkers that the investigation was complete. From September 2012 until June 2016, the City of Yonkers and the DOJ engaged in a negotiation to resolve the matter, resulting in the final agreement signed today.

Mayor Spano added, “We thank the federal government and our local U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara for working with us in resolving this matter. I especially thank Yonkers Police Commissioner Gardner for implementing best police practices that have proven to make great strides in improving relationships with our community.”

PRESS RELEASE: Yonkers Police Department and U.S. Department of Justice Sign Agreement Closing Investigation Into Alleged Police Practices

YONKERS, NY – November 14, 2016 – Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano today announced the Yonkers Police Department (YPD) and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) have signed an agreement regarding a federal investigation concerning alleged improper police practices by the Yonkers Police Department.

In the agreement, signed by Mayor Spano and U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, the Department of Justice states there is no sufficient evidence of a pattern of race-biased policing by the Yonkers Police Department. 

“Today’s settlement is the result of many years of negotiations between the City and our Department of Justice -- exhibiting cooperation, not confrontation,” said Mayor Spano. “As a result, the federal government is not imposing a federal monitor, consent decree, nor any punitive or financial measures against the city. Our Yonkers Police Department continues to implement best policing practices that build improved relationships with our community.”

Since the initial complaints were made regarding the Yonkers Police, the department has made considerable strides in community policing initiatives, including the implementation of several programs that bridge the gap between the police and the community. Programs like the Youth Police Initiative bring patrol officers and at-risk young people together to work out conflicts in advance. Other services such as the Police Explorer Program, the Youth Police Academy and the Youth Police Coalition also have proven to be highly effective in connecting residents with local police officers.

The implementation of new police training practices and community policing initiatives has resulted in the Yonkers Police Department experiencing a 76% decrease in excessive force complaints and a 44% decrease in citizen complaints since 2011.

“The Yonkers Police Department is completely supportive of constitutional police practices,” noted Yonkers Police Commissioner Charles Gardner.  “The provisions of this mutual agreement represent the values we already hold and have sought to implement over the years.  We will continue to work collaboratively with the DOJ on the implementation of the agreement.”

The final signed agreement includes the following:

·         There is no court-filing, assigned judge, injunction or court monitor.

·         The agreement is not an admission of wrongdoing

·         No aspect of the YPD’s managerial discretion is impaired. The Commissioner and his staff have full authority to run the YPD without outside interference.

·         If a court or other agency determines that the agreement conflicts with a union contract, the union contract shall control.

·         To adopt use of force policies and procedures that ensure that significant uses of force are reported and reviewed by the chain of command or Internal Affairs.

·         Procedures for proper implementation of stop-and-search activities will be put in

place with reporting requirements. Traffic stops are excluded from the agreement (unless coupled with a stop for a reason other than traffic enforcement).

·         Provisions for an enhanced computerized data or risk management system require

YPD to collect more data to identify areas for potential improvement.

·         All YPD personnel must have enhanced training including at least 32 hours per year of special training away from their normal duties.

·         There will be no independent monitor paid for by the City.  DOJ will hire its own consultant to periodically review and report to DOJ on YPD’s progress toward compliance. 

·         The agreement must be in place for at least two years. It may be dissolved after two years if the YPD has been in compliance with all substantive provisions for at least 12 months.

In August 2007, the Department of Justice opened the investigation regarding alleged pattern of improper police practices based on a series of complaints received by the DOJ in 2006-2007.  In April 2012, the Department of Justice informed the City of Yonkers that the investigation was complete. From September 2012 until June 2016, the City of Yonkers and the DOJ engaged in a negotiation to resolve the matter, resulting in the final agreement signed today.

Mayor Spano added, “We thank the federal government and our local U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara for working with us in resolving this matter. I especially thank Yonkers Police Commissioner Gardner for implementing best police practices that have proven to make great strides in improving relationships with our community.”

PRESS RELEASE: Mayor Spano Presents Roosevelt High School Early College Studies with October 2016 School of The Month Award

YONKERS, NY – November 9, 2016 – Mayor Spano this week joined members of Yonkers City Council and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin M. Quezada to present the School of the Month Award for October 2016 to the deserving administration, faculty, staff, parents and students at Roosevelt High School Early College Studies.

Under the leadership of Principal Edward DeChent, Roosevelt High School Early College Studies is achieving great success with their college degree program and an overall increase in graduation rates. 

“Roosevelt High School Early College Studies has clearly over the course of the last three years placed a strong focus on the overall quality of education given to our students,”said Mayor Spano. “Improvement at any school starts at the top, and I would like to commend Principal DeChent, as well as the administrators, teachers and staff for their continued investment in our students. It’s clear our young and up and coming stars are motivated more than ever as it directly correlates to the graduation rate being increased fifteen percent over the last three years. That’s a true testament to each and every one of our students and the hard work they’ve put in, congratulations to all.”

From the 2014-2016 school years, Roosevelt High School Early College Studies have experienced an increase in their graduation rate rising by 15 percentage points and designated as one of New York State’s most improved schools. 

“On behalf of the Board of Education Trustees, we applaud the outstanding work of the administrators, teachers and support staff at Roosevelt High School Early College Studies who created an environment in which students can thrive and do achieve at high levels.  We congratulate them on receiving this well-deserved award,” said Board of Education President Rev. Steve Lopez.

According to Superintendent of Schools Dr. Edwin M. Quezada, “Roosevelt is recognized across the state as an example of a turn-around school.  Principal DeChent, administrators and teachers have transformed their learning community into a place where students, families and staff are learning and achieving together.  The process begins with leaders and professionals who believe that all children can achieve, we have those individuals at Roosevelt.”

Mayor Spano’s School of the Month recognition program began in January 2014 as a way to celebrate the significant academic success, extracurricular achievements and community volunteerism of Yonkers’ students, teachers, administration and staff at Yonkers Public Schools.