This week’s news wire has been inundated with stories of crime in Yonkers. From burglaries to murder, even a Yonkers Public School teacher was involved in the reports of criminal activity in the area. Despite what public officials, political candidates, and police representatives may say on the reality of crime in the city, the news correspondence being delivered to the public is clear. There’s a lot of crime in Yonkers to talk about.
Incidents in the news
This week, Westchester County District Attorney, Mimi Rocah, published a press release iterating numerous larceny crimes in the area. The list of felony burglaries and robberies spanned the county, and Yonkers was the first on the list. Twenty-five year-old Damien Anthony Arias is currently in custody on a litany of larceny charges. These charges stem from alleged crimes totaling the theft of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise from stores like Burlington Coat Factory and Marshalls. Only a few weeks ago, Mayor Mike Spano held a press conference in front of a Marshall’s department store to announce a new police initiative combating these types of crimes.
Another press conference held recently by Mayor Spano was in regards to illegal smoke shops in Yonkers. Despite their being an entire police unit called, “The City of Yonkers Smoke Shop Task Force,” it seems we can only shut down this illegal enterprises, not prevent them from opening. This is evidenced by yet another illegal smoke shop raided in Getty Square this past week.
Beyond these non-violent crimes, there was also a stabbing death overnight on Wed. April 12th. The Yonkers Police Department discovered a deceased man inside the parking garage on Prospect St near the ShopRite grocery store. The Major Case Squad and Digital Forensics Unit traced evidence and security camera footage to their prime suspect. Necker Charles, 51, was arrested the next day on April 13th and the murder weapon was also recovered.
And lastly, on April 13th, the YPD announced the arrest of a YPS teacher. After a months-long investigation, 5th grade teacher at PS #21, William Archacki, was charged with endangering the welfare of a child. This misdemeanor stems from a February 8th incident where a student feared for their safety. The student alleges that Archacki held a paring knife behind the student’s back during school.
Perception and Politics
Yonkers is the third largest city in the state of New York. And wherever there is a mass of people, crime flourishes. However, the messaging around crime in Yonkers is inconsistent and confusing. In due time, this confusion leads to mistrust.
While current officials may praise the low rate of crime in Yonkers as compared to similarly-sized cities like Rochester and Buffalo, their message doesn’t align with the reports. If crime is not a top issue, why are these officials holding numerous press conferences on combating crime? Why do we need new police initiatives, new legislation, and specialized task forces to address non-issues? What other issues in the city like education, infrastructure, or climate have garnered as much media attention as crime if it’s not a massive problem?
This messaging could be all about politics. Current three-term City Council member Corazón Pineda-Isaac recently published a commentary criticizing the incumbent mayor she is challenging in this year’s election. In summary, she posits that the current administration fails to address true causes of crime. And instead, this mayor’s administration points the finger at others–specifically state government–as the problem. To retort, a longtime Spano-ally, campaign contributor, and head of the Yonkers Police Benevolent Association, Keith Olson, responded on the mayor’s behalf. In his own editorial, Olson chides Pineda-Isaac for not respecting law enforcement. He calls her “completely misinformed” before praising police programs like the “Be the Change” campaign. He concludes his writing by endorsing Spano for a fourth term as Mayor of Yonkers.
While politics is a game of messaging, policing should not be. Between the press conferences, op-eds, and actual police reports, where is the truth about crime in Yonkers? Ultimately, it may not matter. Because crime, as for in most things, our perception will create our reality.
