NYPD chief continues under Mamdani amid differences on policing approach
Jessica Tisch continues as NYPD commissioner under Mayor Zohran Mamdani, announced November 19, 2025. The appointment surprised many, given Mamdani’s long public criticism of police budgets and his calls for public safety without over-policing. During the campaign, Mamdani pledged to reduce NYPD’s $5.8 billion budget and redirect resources to prevention and community safety. Yet he hired the person leading that departmenta move that signals either strategic pragmatism or ideological compromise.
Tisch’s Background and Philosophy
Tisch, 17-year city bureaucrat and scion of a billionaire family, served as NYPD commissioner under Eric Adams. She is a supporter of police technology, sophisticated crime analysis, and community policing approaches. She has disagreed with Mamdani on stop-and-frisk policy, gang database expansion, and the role of police in addressing homelessness and mental health crises. Yet both say they are committed to working collaboratively to make the city safer.
Public Safety Philosophy Tensions
Mamdani ran as a democratic socialist with police abolition sympathies, advocating for dramatic budget reductions and reinvestment in healthcare, housing, and services. Tisch represents a modernization-within-policing philosophy: better training, technology, and community engagement, but ultimately a strong police force as central to public safety. These are not easily reconciled. The real test will come when Mamdani faces pressure to maintain or increase NYPD funding amid other budget priorities.
Homelessness and Mental Health Response
A key difference concerns how the city responds to homelessness and mental health crises. Tisch’s NYPD emphasizes police involvement and enforcement. Mamdani has criticized police responding to mental health calls and homelessness, preferring healthcare and social workers. His preliminary budget allocates resources toward these alternatives, but implementation will require Tisch’s cooperation or constraint on NYPD deployment.
Accountability and Reform
Tisch has a mixed record on officer accountability. While supportive of training and policy improvements, she has resisted discipline for officers and defended controversial tactics. Mamdani has called for greater accountability. This tension will surface when specific incidents occur and accountability questions arise.
Political Pragmatism or Contradiction
Some interpret Mamdani’s Tisch retention as political pragmatism: hiring an experienced, respected police leader reassures business interests and neighborhoods concerned about public safety. Others see it as ideological compromise that betrays the democratic socialist base that elected him. The truth likely involves both: Mamdani recognizes the political costs of appearing soft on public safety, but this constraint undermines his ability to deliver on police budget reduction promises. For NYPD information, see the New York Police Department website. Read police reform advocacy at Police Reform Organizing Project. Learn about public safety alternatives at Communities of Practice on Law Enforcement. Track accountability via NYC Courts.
