Gardner Steps Down After 39 Years of Service
Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano recently announced his appointment of Yonkers Police Deputy Chief John Mueller as the city’s new police commissioner. Mueller will serve as acting commissioner starting July 25, pending Yonkers City Council confirmation. He will replace outgoing Commissioner Charles Gardner, who is retiring later this month.
Mueller’s appointment comes after serving the Yonkers Police Department for 25 years and holding various leadership positions, including most recently as commanding officer of the Investigative Services Bureau, which is responsible for investigative activities within the Yonkers Police Department.
“Chief Mueller has been a shining star in our police department for decades,” said Spano. “John has risen amongst the ranks with honor, demonstrating his in-depth knowledge, training and dedication to the men and women of our police force. We look forward to working with him and continuing to keep our residents safe.”
“It is a tremendous honor to be asked by Mayor Mike Spano to serve as Yonkers police commissioner,” said Mueller. “I am extremely proud of the many accomplishments this administration has achieved in moving Yonkers forward. To serve as police commissioner has been a lifelong dream of mine and I pledge to serve our residents with valor and respect. I am excited to continue the great work of Commissioner Gardner, and look forward to working hand-in-hand with all the dedicated members of our department.”
Prior to his appointment to chief of the Investigative Services Bureau, Muller served as deputy chief of the Support Services Bureau, commanding officer of the fourth precinct, commanding officer of the Intelligence Unit, and president of the Yonkers Captains, Lieutenants and Sergeants Association. He is chairman and founder of STRONG, a federally-funded opioid substance abuse prevention program for adolescents; board member of Break the Hold Foundation, which addresses mental health issues for young adults; and is a co-founder of the Yonkers Police Fire Toughman.
Muller holds master’s and bachelor’s degrees from John Jay College of Criminal Justice, is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, the Police Executive Research Forum and John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
“I want to thank Commissioner Gardner for his service to the residents of the city and to our police department,” said Spano. “Under his leadership, Yonkers has achieved unprecedented successes, including a reduction in overall crime by 42 percent, a more diverse police force, and the introduction of various community policing initiatives that have transformed our police department. I congratulate him on a stellar career and wish him the very best in his well-deserved retirement.”
Mueller will serve as the City of Yonkers’ 21st police commissioner. There was widespread support for the mayor’s nomination of Mueller to serve as the next head of the YPD.
“I have worked very closely with John Mueller in the third precinct and I have always found him to be very responsive to the community,” said City Council Majority Leader Michael Sabatino. “While he had big shoes to fill, I think he is going to do a good job. I also had a great relationship with Commissioner Gardner and was sad to see him go.
“I’m sure this was not an easy choice for the mayor, and there were other choices for commissioner. If the current team stays together, I’m confident that John will do a good job and continue the work of Commissioner Gardner.”
Yonkers PBA President Keith Olson added: “The rank-and-file members of the Yonkers Police Department are thrilled with Mayor Spano’s appointment of John Mueller as police commissioner. Wherever John has worked, he has understood how important it is to seek the input of the men and women at the ground level. The Yonkers PBA is looking forward to working under the leadership of Police Commissioner Mueller.”
Councilman John Rubbo commended the mayor on a difficult decision. “Chief Mueller has been a very active and dedicated member of the YPD for many years, and I’m excited to see the direction he brings to our police department as commissioner,” he said. “I want to thank Commissioner Charles Gardner for his years of service to the City. He is a true leader who drove the YPD to a new level of professionalism at a time when the justice department was looking at our police department.”
Gardner served for 39 years in the YPD, and has been commissioner since 2012
