In an effort to increase safety in the city, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano announced two major initiatives in his State of the City speech Wednesday night.

Spano made safety a central theme, saying the city of Yonkers is one of the safest in the country. He says crime in the city has dropped 10% since last Spring and 44% since he took office a decade ago.

He credits that in part to pushing for police transparency and what he calls precision policing where the department zeros in on so called hot spots where the most crime is committed.

He also unveiled a new tool that even citizens can use to help keep crime down and see what's happening in their neighborhoods.

Spano announced a new crime mapping initiative called CityProtect. Starting today residents have an opportunity to check in on any law enforcement activity in Yonkers through the website.

People simply log onto CityProtect.com and they can map activity, provide crime tips, and even submit digital evidence through this program. "By explaining the reasons for our presence and our actions, we believe we will see an increase in trust and transparency in our police department," says Spano.

Spano pointed to more than 40 various programs that have been created to help connect the city's police officers with the community. Among them are the Yonkers police cadet program for kids interested in law enforcement and the Neighborhood Stabilization Team program that launched last summer to bring more foot patrols to provide face-to-face interactions with the public, especially in high crime neighborhoods. "The focus is to change behavior of those who break the law by explaining the reason for the police presence and the need for compliance," says Spano.

Mayor Spano also says Yonkers will add ten more police officers to its department and that's the first time the City has increased its force since Sept. 11, 2001.