Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone and Police Commissioner Edmund Hartnett today announced the start of the Yonkers Police Department's "Gun Tips Hotline."

The purpose of the program is to take illegal guns off the streets of Yonkers.

Officials say it is not a gun buyback program and no arrest or conviction is required.

Individuals with information on the location of illegal handguns can call an anonymous tip line at 914-377-GUNS and the caller will be given a confidential identification number.

Yonkers Police Chief Edmund Hartnett held a news conference Wednesday warning residents of phony realtors who are advertising on Craigslist for apartments and then scamming them out of hundreds of dollars. 

Police have launched an investigation into Craiglist Apartment Rental listings in which victims were fooled into handing over a down payment for apartments that didn't exist. Hartnett says at least three people have been scammed since May, most of those scams involved residents living in the southwest section of the city.

Police in the State's fourth largest city are reminding residents that the use and/or sale of of fireworks is illegal, and that people found in possession of illegal fireworks face penalties including jail, fines and the forfeiture of personal vehicles.

Yonkers Mayor Phil Amicone Tuesday submitted a revised spending plan to the Yonkers City Council that proposes cutting civilian jobs and specialty units within the police department in order to spare neighborhood patrols and improve police impact on crime ridden neighborhoods.

The revised plan was submitted by Police Commissioner Edmund Hartnett. It reduces the number of position cuts to 66 and includes 16 layoffs and 11 demotions. That's a decrease from the 91 position cuts originally proposed by the Mayor, i ncluding 51 layoffs and 23 demotions.

Amicone says the move comes amidst a dire budget situation and is his administration's attempt to preserve public safety in the midst of dwindling resources.

Yonkers Police are on the hunt for  two gunmen who shot two people Wednesday night, killing a woman and leaving a man fighting for his life.The victim was taken to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx in grave condition.

The shooting occurred around  7:30 p.m. at an apartment building at 1159 Yonkers Avenue. 

Starting today, police in the City of Yonkers have a new look about them. Their uniforms now feature name tags. In October 2008, the Yonkers Police Depaertment Uniform Review Committee met to make recommendations concerning the current police uniform. The panel conducted research,interviews and surveys to identify potential improvements to the Department's uniform. In August 2009, the Uniform Review committee submitted a final report with recommended changes to the Police Commissioner. One of those changes included the addition of nameplates to the Department uniform.