The Westchester Coalition on Police Reform is holding a panel discussion on April 27th regarding options for a civilian oversight board of law enforcement. Local and national experts on policing will be present to discuss how Westchester County could implement practices seen in other communities.
The organizer, The Westchester Coalition for Police Reform describe themselves as “a group of concerned community organizations, religious institutions and individuals who share a vision to help build safe communities, with improved community-police relations and greater police accountability and transparency.” To this end, the primary goal of this group is establishing a civilian oversight review board in Westchester County.
Police civilian oversight boards are independent bodies composed of community members who review and oversee law enforcement agencies. As such, they aim to increase transparency and accountability in law enforcement and provide a civilian perspective on police actions. They may have the power to investigate complaints and make recommendations for disciplinary action or policy changes. These boards operate in numerous cities across the country.
While Westchester County manages its own police force, there are 45 distinct law enforcement agencies throughout the many cities, towns, and villages in the area. The City of Yonkers maintains it’s own Yonkers Police Department, which is the largest force in the county.
Yonkers Policing – Past and Present
The Yonkers Police Department has underwent dramatic changes in recent years, with many still calling for even more.
In 2009, the United States Department of Justice issued guidance and oversight of the YPD after years-long investigations of bad practices. Finally, in 2016, the city reached an agreement with the federal government ending this oversight. Then, incoming Police Commissioner John Mueller began a radical reformation of the department that was chronicled in an NPR series. During his tenure in 2021, the “Yonkers Police Reform and Reinvention Collaborative Report” was published. This 76-page report outlines a vision and strategy for improved policing. However, as noted recently, most of these proposals have not been adopted.
Mayoral elections are held this year. The incumbent Spano and his challengers are focusing heavily on crime and policing. City Council member Corazón Pineda-Isaac recently penned an opinion article calling the mayor’s approach to policing “out of touch.” In response, the president of the Yonkers Police Benevolent Association fired back a response in the defense of the mayor.
Members of Yonkers law enforcement were invited to attend this upcoming discussion panel. However, the emailed response from the Public Information Officer declined the invitation. Although, the rising tide lifts all ships, so perhaps any county-wide improvements will find their way to Yonkers eventually.
Event Details
Thursday, April 27 – 6:30pm
White Plains Library Auditorium
100 Martine Ave, White Plains, NY 10601
Doors open for refreshments at 6pm
Register to attend in-person or by zoom at: tinyurl.com/WestchesterOPA
