Yonkers Police Chief John Mueller recently gave an update on Facebook live to the public about how the YPD is dealing with COVID-19. Mueller called it a “real team effort” to keep the people of the city safe. Mueller said that each precinct has a thermometer and if officers have a temperature higher than 100 degrees, they are sent home.
Mueller also said that the YPD has changed to a 12-hour tour for officers, from 7am-7pm, and 7pm-7am, so that officers have more time at home. “Just like the rest of the country and the world, we are trying to limit the spread.” Another move has been to have one officer in a police car instead of two.
All four Yonkers Police Precincts are closed, but the YPD has one walk in location at 104 South Broadway, where residents can walk in to meet with an officer. All officers have an N95 mask for their tour, and the N95 mask can be reused if properly cleaned. Another disposable mask is also available, and Commissioner Mueller said Mayor Spano, has been “extremely supportive” to the needs of the YPD.
Realizing that “we have to learn how to do business differently,” Mueller said that last week 60 officers were out of work and 26 officers had tested positive. He added that some of the younger officers while at home, had fewer symptoms and “they want to come to work and they are coming back.” No officers have been hospitalized.
Mueller said that people who call 911 are asked to come out of their homes and meet the officer who responds to keep everyone as safe as can be. Mueller said that there is “an amazing amount of cooperation between first responders, health industry and the public. Everyone is working together.”
The YPD under Mueller and in the midst of COVID-19 is “rethinking and retooling” starting with Role Cole. “We can’t do that anymore so now it is done by phone or in the parking lot. We are trying to retrofit our police procedures because we have to be here for our residents. This pandemic is forcing us to learn how to do things differently and better.”
YPD officers are being tested for COVID-19 in Yonkers and at Phelps hospital, “and we are grateful for it,” said Mueller, who added that there is no curfew in Yonkers or anywhere in New York and that he doesn’t forsee the need for one. “We are using persuasion over power, instead of locking people up or writing a ticket for having a basketball game, we are communicating more to encourage social distancing. We need to think about the community as a whole more and not just thinking about each of us selfishly
So far, overall crime in down in Yonkers, except for domestic violence calls and arrests, according to Mueller. “There has not been an increase in crime, and overall Yonkers residents have been extremely cooperative and are staying at home. Crime is down which makes are jobs easier.”
Mueller attributed the increase in domestic violence calls, “because this is a stressful period of time and a lot of uncertainty. People are on edge.”
A countywide coordination system, designed to combat an act of terrorism, is now in use and very helpful, according to Commissioner Mueller. “County Police, who are great partners, are bring all of the information together with all 46 Police Departments in Westchester to give us all the information about what is going on across the county, with police attendance, best practices, social outreach, and mutual aid. If I need help, I know where I can get if front and who is short on officers. It’s working well.”
Mueller was asked a what if scenario with social unrest. “We hope it doesn’t happen but we are ready for it. Yonkers residents and Westchester residents need to know that we are all connected and we will get help if needed, or we will help another department if needed. That’s the one positive thing that has come out of this so far, we are more connected and ready to help each other now more than ever.”
