Dec 15, 2024 Story by: Editor
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (AP) — A U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) report has revealed that a suburban New York police department repeatedly violated civil rights through illegal arrests and inappropriate strip and cavity searches.
The report, focusing on the Mount Vernon Police Department, located just north of New York City, is part of 12 ongoing DOJ investigations into local policing practices since 2021. These include inquiries launched following the deaths of George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Kentucky.
The Mount Vernon probe wasn’t triggered by a specific event but highlighted systemic misconduct. One notable case involved the illegal strip search of two women, aged 65 and 75, in 2020. According to the report, officers arrested the women on suspicion of purchasing drugs, searched their vehicle without finding contraband, and brought them to the station, where they were subjected to a fully nude strip search. Supervisors approved the search, with detectives ordering the women to “bend over and cough.”
An internal investigation later revealed that officers fabricated claims about the women buying drugs. The involved officers were only penalized with a few vacation days, the report stated.
The police union representing Mount Vernon officers has not commented on the report.
Unconstitutional Practices Persist
The report documented that, until late 2022, the department routinely strip-searched every individual it arrested. Officers also conducted strip searches on people who were not arrested, detained and interrogated individuals without formal arrests, and arrested citizens for criticizing police.
Despite some reduction in these practices during the DOJ investigation, illegal strip and cavity searches reportedly continued until at least 2023. The investigators expressed concerns that these practices may still be ongoing, noting, “we are not confident that these practices have ended.”
One troubling incident cited involved officers detaining the mother of a shooting victim at a police station while her daughter, struck by a stray bullet, was rushed to the hospital. The mother was interrogated without probable cause and missed her daughter’s final moments, as the victim succumbed to her injuries.
Financial and Training Challenges
The report also highlighted financial mismanagement within the department, exacerbating its issues. Low salaries hindered the department’s ability to recruit and retain skilled officers, train personnel, and maintain adequate supplies.
The DOJ offered recommendations to address these systemic issues, including implementing strict measures to prevent unconstitutional strip and cavity searches.
City’s Response
Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard pledged to work with the DOJ to address the report’s findings.
“We wholeheartedly support our good officers and at the same time will not tolerate and will punish unconstitutional policing,” said Patterson-Howard, a Democrat.
The mayor’s statement noted that three officers and two civilian employees were terminated following a 2021 investigation. However, her spokesperson did not clarify the circumstances or timing of these dismissals.
The report emphasized the city’s efforts to improve policing and implement reforms, but its findings underscore the need for continued oversight and accountability. Source: AP News
