NEW YORK – Congressman Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) issued the following statement on the Justice Department’s Civil Investigation into the Mount Vernon, NY Police Department.
On Friday, December 3, the Justice Department announced an investigation into the Mount Vernon Police Department following years of ignored claims of planted evidence, illegal body cavity searches, excessive force, abusive tactics and targets on residents and youth, primarily Black, of Mount Vernon, New York.
This investigation comes after Congressman Jamaal Bowman called for a Department of Justice investigation into civil rights violations along with Mayor Patterson-Howard and District Attorney Rocah earlier this year in May. Their leadership is a reflection of new political leaders in Westchester that are committed to just policing and accountability.
“It pains me deeply to know of Mount Vernon residents’ experiences with the Mount Vernon Police Department. Our country has a long, traumatic history of police abuses on civilians that has become heightened with increasing documentation of injustices from law enforcement officials, in addition to a growing public display and rhetoric of hate and intolerance.”
“In Mount Vernon and beyond, enough is enough. Generational cycles of abuse at the hands of law enforcement must come to an end. We need a justice system – police included, to start from a place of compassion and not malice. We need a complete transformation of law enforcement so that it is ethical and restorative. I will do everything in my power to support the City of Mount Vernon through this investigation. The people cannot be ignored.”
If you missed the Justice Department press conference announcing an investigation into the patterns and practices of the Mount Vernon Police Department and the City of Mount Vernon, you can view it in its entirety here.
Need to contact the DOJ and report any and all information that you may be aware of, you can via email, at community.mvpd@usdoj.gov, by phone at 1-866-985-1378, or through the Civil Rights Division’s Civil Rights Portal, available at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
Stay tuned to Black Westchester for more on this developing story!
3 comments
Damon K. Jones has pointed to the fact that the Scarsdale Police Department is the only department in all of Westchester who is state and nationally accredited. I called them today to ask why they chose to be accredited. The officer told me accreditation is a value and an investment in police culture that is inculcated over time. Department leadership must take a stand for the highest standards for their department and take sustained action over time to develop a culture of the highest standards in policing.
Amen
Thank you Rep. Jamaal Bowman for being about the business of fighting for the injustice that plaques our community! We see you!
Thank you Rep. Jamal Bowman for being about the business of fighting for the injustice that plaques our community! We see you!
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