Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced that the Yonkers Police Department has been awarded $500,000 to invest in community outreach programs for local youth.

Hochul says the state awarded the money to Yonkers and two other departments because of their ongoing efforts to work with kids.

The money will go toward supporting after school intervention for youth displaying at-risk behavior through the Community Affairs Division's ASAP Program (Alternative to Suspension, Alternative is Prevention) in collaboration with the Police Athletic League.

Hochul announced police departments in Buffalo, Schenectady and Yonkers are sharing $1.5 million in federal funding over five years to implement pilot programs designed to provide alternatives to arrest for youth and to build trust between kids and police.

This pilot program will hopefully provide a model for other departments moving forward.

The Yonkers Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza released a statement, saying in part, "We are excited to use these much-needed funds to collaborate with the Office of Youth Justice in the ultimate goal of addressing youth crime, placing an emphasis on finding real solutions to the issues in our community."