A Department of Justice investigation has revealed a troubling pattern of civil rights abuses within the Mount Vernon Police Department (MVPD) in suburban New York. The report, released Thursday, details numerous instances of illegal arrests, unlawful strip and cavity searches, excessive force, and discriminatory policing.

The report highlights the department's practice of escalating minor encounters into situations requiring excessive force, including the overuse of tasers and closed-fist strikes, often against individuals already restrained or on the ground. The DOJ also raised concerns about the department's methods for conducting vehicle stops, collecting evidence, and discriminatory policing practices.

A particularly disturbing incident involved the illegal strip search of two elderly women, aged 65 and 75, in 2020. Arrested on suspicion of drug possession, the women were subjected to a full strip search despite a search of their vehicle yielding no evidence. Internal investigations found officers had fabricated the drug purchase allegations, resulting in minimal disciplinary action – a few docked vacation days.

The report reveals that the MVPD had a policy of strip-searching every individual arrested until at least the fall of 2022. The practice extended even to those not formally arrested and was often accompanied by unlawful detention and interrogation. The DOJ also documented cases of arrests made solely for verbal criticism of officers, a clear violation of free speech rights. While the practice was supposedly curtailed during the investigation, the DOJ expressed concerns that it may still be ongoing.

Other instances of unconstitutional arrests were cited, including the detention and interrogation of a shooting victim's mother while her daughter was dying in the hospital. The report also noted financial mismanagement within the police force, exacerbating the issues stemming from inadequate training and unlawful policies. Low salaries have hindered the department's ability to attract and retain qualified officers and maintain adequate resources.

Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard has pledged cooperation with the DOJ to address the findings and implement necessary reforms. The city has already taken some steps, including the termination of three officers and two civilian employees in 2021. The DOJ has offered a series of recommendations to ensure constitutional policing practices, particularly regarding strip searches.