Yonkers Police Training Division -730 E Grassy Sprain Rd

Commanding Officer Captain Baker
Executive Officer Lieutenant Conroy
Training Supervisor Sergeant Arcieri
Training Supervisor Sergeant Mosca

   The City of Yonkers Police Department continually strives to maintain the highest standard of professionalism in both its sworn and civilian members. Comprehensive high quality training is the means to this end. As training is an integral part of an efficient and effective police organization, the Yonkers Police Training Division's desire, motivation, and dedication to continually improve and offer the highest quality training will always be present in fulfilling the obligation of true professionalism.
   The Training Division is responsible for the planning, development, administration, and documentation of all training programs for recruits, in service personnel, police and fire dispatchers, city marshals, detention officers, police, and various other groups. All training meets or exceeds the requirements of the City and the Division of Criminal Justice Services, of which the Bureau for Municipal Police is a part.
   The Training Division is located in the First Precinct building on East Grassy Sprain Road. The Division consists of one captain, one lieutenant, two sergeants, and seven police officers. All members of the Division are certified police instructors. Some members of the Unit are also certified as instructors in specialized disciplines such as firearms, special weapons, defensive tactics, suicide prevention, emergency vehicle operation, and physical fitness training.
Recruit Training
   In 1999, the City of Yonkers hired forty-four police recruits, twelve of whom had prior law enforcement experience. The thirty-two new probationary police officers graduated from the Westchester County Police Academy in Valhalla, New York after an arduous eighteen week program. This Basic Recruit Training Course consisted of instruction in firearms, defensive tactics, Penal Law, Constitutional Law, Vehicle and Traffic Law, First Aid, water safety, domestic violence, and various other mandated topics. This training also included many hours of physical training to prepare the recruits to pass the New York State physical fitness standard, which is a requirement for graduation and state certification as a police officer. The Training Division took an active role in the training of these recruits; its members provided many hours of instruction to the 108th Session Basic Recruit School in many of the above- listed courses. Subsequent to graduation, the recruits attended four weeks of advanced recruit training at the Training Division, which further prepared them for service of the citizens of Yonkers. Prior to their assignments to the precincts, the recruits performed two weeks of supervised field training.

In-Service Training
   Every in-service training program begins with the instructors themselves attending many different courses and spending hours of research on the chosen topics so that they can bring the most up-to-date information and the most innovative techniques to the force. One of the newest tools for the officer on the street is the Domestic Violence Camera. Training for its use was incorporated into in-service training for 1999. With the aid of the photographic documentation the camera can capture, documenting evidence in a case of domestic violence has become easier.
   In-service training for 1999 also consisted of a tactical awareness course which utilized a video with live footage of officers who were taken hostage and the methods for survival. This year, officers received their annual training in Occupational Safety, including infectious disease protocol and a review of Policy and Procedure. Also, each officer was required to re-qualify with his or her firearm and a departmental shotgun and receive a refresher course in Article 55 of the New York State Penal Law. This training assists the officer in the decision-making process relative to the use of deadly physical force. Training with the expandable baton (also known as the ASP baton) was continued with about 10 percent of the Department qualified in its proper use.
Instructor Training
   The year 1999 proved to be a productive year for the Training Division. Two officers attended Bureau for Municipal Police General Topics Instructor School and one instructor became specialized in defensive tactics by attending and successfully completing the New York State Police Defensive Tactics Instructor School.

Firing Range and Weapons Training
   Annual training in firearms was provided for members of the service as well as city detention officers and deputy city marshals. Members of the Training Division staff are not only state-certified firearms instructors, but are all qualified Glock armorers. The range officer is also responsible for the maintenance and repair of the Department's state of the art computerized firing range and the Department's weapons. In 1999, seventy-one weapons were tested as evidence in criminal cases.

Video Production Unit
   Located at the Training Division is a complete editing studio which is used extensively as part of the training function. Along with the various professional videos purchased, the Training Division produces its own videos which are disseminated throughout the Department. In addition to videotape production, the Unit assists other units with technical support by duplicating, producing, and editing videotapes to meet their specific needs and to document certain events.
   Some of the videos produced in the Training Division are used for roll call training purposes in an effort to bring information and new ideas to officers and supervisors. Some of these roll call training tapes included the following topics: an update of the new domestic violence policy, Domestic Violence Camera familiar surviving secondary explosions, and on various Yonkers Police Department and Procedures.
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