The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released a report detailing "routine violations" of civil rights by the Mount Vernon Police Department, including illegal arrests and improper strip and cavity searches. The investigation, part of 12 DOJ probes into police practices since 2021, revealed a troubling pattern of misconduct within the approximately 160-officer force.
One striking example highlighted in the report involved a 2020 incident where two women, ages 65 and 75, were arrested on suspicion of buying drugs. After finding nothing during a vehicle search, officers took the women to the station, conducted fully nude strip searches, and instructed them to "bend over and cough." Internal investigations later found that officers had lied about the women's actions, resulting in only minor disciplinary measures.
The report emphasized that "illegal strip and cavity searches" were routine. Until 2022, the department's standard practice was to strip-search every arrested individual, and the practice continued for non-arrested detainees. Disturbingly, these searches persisted until at least 2023. The DOJ noted that while some changes occurred during the investigation, it was "not confident that these practices have ended."
Another case detailed unconstitutional arrests, including a tragic incident where officers detained the mother of a shooting victim and interrogated her as her daughter, fatally struck by a stray bullet, was rushed to the hospital. Officers "didn't articulate probable cause" for her detention.
The report further criticized the department's financial mismanagement, pointing to low salaries and inadequate training, which have fueled systemic issues. "The department's failure to attract and retain quality officers," it noted, exacerbates these long-standing problems.
Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard responded with a commitment: "We wholeheartedly support our good officers and at the same time will not tolerate and will punish unconstitutional policing." She cited progress, including the termination of three officers and two civilian employees after a 2021 investigation.
The DOJ outlined recommendations, including measures to prevent unconstitutional searches, as the city begins addressing these serious findings.
Link: CNN
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