Homicide, assault, trauma
Crime scene cleanup in Yonkers, once the police have gone
Detectives collect what they need and then hand the home back as it is. What they leave behind is yours to deal with, and it is not a job for the family. Call (914) 979-7472 to reach an independent company that does it.
Phone answered at every hour, weekends and holidays included
Waiting for the release
Nothing can be cleaned while the scene belongs to the investigation. Yonkers Police tell you when it is released; if you are unsure whether that has happened, the department's number for non-emergency business is 914-377-7900.
Before the officers leave, ask for two things: the incident number and the name of the detective. The insurer will want the first. You will want the second if the cleanup company finds something that looks like evidence, which does happen.
What the company deals with
Blood and tissue
Removed along with whatever it has soaked into: carpet, underlay, mattress, sometimes a section of floor or wall. Hard surfaces are cleaned and then disinfected.
What the investigation left
Fingerprint powder is fine and clings to paint and fabric. Medical packaging from the ambulance crew is often still on the floor. Both go.
Damage from the crime itself
A forced door or a broken window is a repair, not a cleanup. Say so on the call, because the company may or may not board it up.
New York can reimburse cleanup after a crime
The state Office of Victim Services lists crime scene cleanup, and the cost of securing a crime scene, among the expenses it can pay back. Until late 2025 only someone who lived at the address could ask. Since 5 November 2025 the state says anyone who pays the bill out of pocket may apply, so a daughter who pays for her father's apartment is no longer shut out.
It is the payer of last resort. Any insurance or other source that pays has to be used first, and the state looks at what is left. Keep the invoice and proof that you paid it.
The office answers at 1-800-247-8035 on weekdays. It can also name a local victim assistance program whose staff will fill in the claim with you.
Worth asking the cleanup company
- Will you give me the price and the scope in writing before you start?
- Is the invoice itemized so an insurer or the state can read it?
- What do you do if you come across something the police may have missed?
- Who carries the waste away, and are they permitted to transport it?
- Can you work without a marked vehicle outside the building?
- What will the room need afterwards that you do not do, such as new flooring or paint?
Questions about crime scenes
Do the police arrange the cleanup?
No. Officers may mention that cleanup companies exist, but the choice and the hiring are yours.
The crime happened in a rented apartment. Who calls?
Either the tenant or the landlord can. Sort out between you who is paying before work starts, and tell the building's insurer as well as your own.
Once the police hand the home back, phone
The person who answers works for an independent cleanup firm active in and around Yonkers. Put any question to them. Whether to hire them is up to you.
Phone answered at every hour, weekends and holidays included
Calls can be recorded. How that works: privacy, and how this service is paid.