City of Yonkers, NY
Home Sitemap ContactYonkers Police | Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
| Q: How to call 911? A: All 911 calls are received by Public Safety Dispatches (PSDs) who are trained to screen calls quickly and efficiently. When calling to report a non-emergency incident, dial the operator and ask for a non-emergency police line. Dial 911 (on a pay phone it is not necessary to deposit money).
Important Note: Wireless or cellular telephone calls made to "911" are answered by the New York State Police who in turn ask the caller for their specific location and connect the caller to the local Police Department responsible for that area. This causes a slight delay in dispatching help to a location and therefore when possible use a wired home phone and not a cell phone to call "911". |
| Q: How do I get a copy of a police report? If an individual is picking up a non-motor vehicle accident report from the Records Unit, they MUST be on the report. If you would like someone to pick up your report for you, they will need to have a notarized letter stating you are allowing them to pick up the report along with VALID identification. To obtain copies of non-motor vehicle accident reports by mail, you must send a copy of your government issued ID, a non-refundable $2.00 search fee and a self-addressed stamped envelope to: Yonkers Police Department You must include as much information as possible, including the incident number, date of the incident, location of incident, and the type of incident. It should be noted, you CANNOT obtain copies of reports from your local precinct and that most non-accident reports can be obtained from the Records Unit within 8 business days from the date of occurrence. The Records Unit does not fax or e-mail reports. |
|
Q: How do I get a copy of a motor vehicle accident report? |
| Q: Is there a fee for copies of police reports? A: Yes, if you come in person, the fee is $2.00 per report. If you request a copy by mail, there is a non-refundable search fee is $2.00 per report, payable by bank check or money order made out to the Yonkers Police Department. |
| Q: What phone number do I call to get the Yonkers Police Department? A: Emergency Dial 911 All other business call 377-7900 Do not call 911 for non-emergencies, because this causes delays in the handling of true emergencies. |
| Q: What type of reports can I get from the Police Records Division? A: The Records Unit maintains all accident, incident and crime reports. Reports can only be released if the investigation is complete and it is not a sealed record |
|
Q: What else can I get from the Police Records Division? A: The Records Division does fingerprinting for various reasons. Fingerprinting is done from 9am-11am Monday-Friday, no appointment is required. The Records Unit does NOT submit fingerprints to any agency; it is your responsibility to submit them to the proper agency. In order to have fingerprints done by this department you must:
B: The Records Unit also issues Certificates of Conduct. Applications for Certificates of Conduct are accepted Monday-Friday from 9am to 2pm. Certificates of Conduct take approximately 5-7 business days to process. The requestor must apply in person and pick the certificate up in person once it is completed. The application is available at the Records Unit or on the Records Unit Website. These letters are a background check for the City of Yonkers only. In order to receive a Certificate of Conduct you must have: $30.00 fee for City of Yonkers Residents (Proof of Residency is required, a Valid Government Issued ID), Cash, Bank Check or Money Order accepted. $60.00 fee for Non-Yonkers Residents, Cash, Bank Check or Money Order accepted. Accepted forms of Identification include:
|
| Q: What happens when you dial 911 anywhere in Westchester? A: 911 facts...the call goes directly to the city or village where YOU are calling from, the phone keeps ringing in your local police department. Even if you hang up immediately; calls display the registered telephone numbers name, address, apt number; tells the 911 operator if it is a private residence, coin phone, business, switchboard. Once the police operator answers a 911 call and you hang up, the connection is not broken, your phone is connected and you cannot make any calls until 911 hangs up.....if constantly busy a police car is dispatched to the address to verify if you have an emergency. |
| Q: Should I report suspicious activity in my neighborhood? A: The Police Department depends on citizens calling to report crimes or suspicious activity. The dispatcher who takes your call will ask questions about the activity to determine its nature and ask for descriptions of the people involved. You may be asked if an officer or detective may contact you but you may refuse. |
| Q: Can the police open my car if I have locked my keys inside? A: Because of the potential for damage to vehicles the police department does not open locked vehicles. A locksmith or tow company is your best alternative. If a child is locked inside the vehicle, the police Emergency Service Unit will respond to remove the child from the vehicle, possibly by breaking a window. |
| Q: Why did it take so long for the police to come when I called them? A: All requests for police services are assigned to priority based on the seriousness of the incident and the potential for injury or damage to property. At times, calls of less urgent nature must be delayed so that we can respond immediately to emergencies. |
| Q: Why do they ask so many questions when I call the police? A: Receiving dispatchers are trained to try to get as much information as possible to best determine the nature of the problem and its seriousness. On emergency calls, the dispatcher has already sent the information to the officer while asking additional questions. |
| Q: What information can I get on sex offenders? A: What agency you contact and what level the offender is will determine what information can be released regarding a particular offender. For some offenders their name, exact address, photograph, crime, victim and schools that they either enrolled or working at can be released. For other offenders, all of the above information, with the exception of their exact address can be released. In those instances, the zip code of the offender will be released. |
| Q: How do I make a complaint against a police officer? A: Complaints can be made in person or by telephone to any precinct or command 24 hours a day. Complaints can also be made in person via telephone or US mail to the Internal Affairs Division. |