The New Plan
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani just dropped a plan to review how the NYPD uses force, claiming it’s time for higher accountability. The initiative, which is the first of its kind in over a decade, includes a $2.6 million funding boost for the Office of Inspector General and a new rule that forces the department to tell state authorities if an officer retires while facing disciplinary charges. The goal? To stop those officers from just bouncing to another department.
"When the government uses force against a New Yorker, the standard for accountability must be at its highest," Mamdani said in a press release.
The Real Tea
But, let’s be real—the vibes are off for voters who expected a total system overhaul. During his run for mayor, Mamdani made some big-time promises that are currently nowhere to be found. He previously vowed to disband the Strategic Response Group (SRG), which he once trashed for aggressive protest tactics. He also pledged to scrap a controversial database of suspected gang members and shift police away from policing low-level stuff like public urination.
Not only are those things still in play, but summonses for public urination have actually jumped 18% during his time in office. Plus, he’s kept Eric Adams’ pick, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, in her role. It’s giving classic political pivot, and his office hasn’t commented on why his reform path has shifted so hard.
Why it matters
This review follows the 2026 retirement of an officer involved in the tragic 2024 shooting of Win Rozario, a 19-year-old in a mental health crisis. With Mamdani distancing himself from the DSA’s abolition platform, this is a major reality check on how much power a mayor actually has to reshape the police—and how quickly campaign promises can go out the window once they’re actually in the office.
