Police vehicles in Mount Vernon were treated for bed bugs last week.

Mount Vernon Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Burke says when bed bugs were discovered in a squad car, the department took swift action.

"We immediately took it out of service," Burke says. "We had an exterminator treat the vehicle and we treated the spare vehicles while he was here."

Self-described community activist Samuel Rivers isn't buying the commissioner's statement. "A police officer in Mount Vernon told me that as many as six cars were treated for bed bugs this week," Rivers says.

Rivers describes the bed bug problem as an investigation that is ongoing. He is demanding that Mount Vernon Mayor Ernie Davis and police officials better inform the public about the bed bug problem and what's being done about it.

News 12 asked Burke if there was an ongoing infestation of any kind. His response was, "Not that I know of."