Mayor-elect Zoran Mamdani sidestepped a question on Thursday regarding his differences with NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, although he softened his stance on contentious crime policies after appointing her as chief officer.
Tisch’s appointment, which Mamdani announced on Wednesday, appeased many critics of the democratic socialist mayor-elect. However, some of his left-leaning supporters expressed disappointment over her tough-on-crime reputation.
“Too often, mayors and leaders surround themselves with people who quickly agree with them, rather than providing their honest opinions,” he remarked when asked about the ongoing tensions with Tisch on issues like bail reform.
During a press conference at City Hall Park, Mamdani seemed to further alienate progressives by appearing to distance himself from his own support for allowing civilian oversight over officer discipline instead of leaving it solely to the NYPD’s police chief.
The Queens borough councilman stated his main focus was to ensure the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) received enough funding to fulfill its role, sidestepping questions about who should ultimately impose disciplinary action.
“What I said was that we need to take immediate steps toward accountability,” he noted, pointing out that the CCRB had to dismiss over 700 potential misconduct cases prematurely last year.
“My commitment is to fully fund the CCRB right away and end these budgetary conflicts,” he asserted.
This evasiveness was one of several non-committal responses Mamdani has provided recently regarding public safety measures and his disagreements with Tisch.
Commissioner Tisch holds views that conflict with some of the state’s criminal justice reforms and supports the NYPD’s gang database, which are both in opposition to Mamdani’s stance.
When pressed on these matters, Mamdani acknowledged the disagreements with Tisch but sought to maintain a sense of harmony.
“I’m still concerned about the extensive drug networks and how many New Yorkers are included in that database,” he commented, touching on the gang database without much elaboration.
Tisch’s selection has triggered some backlash online, particularly among leftists.
“Why are we pretending that Mr. Zoran doesn’t have the choice to hire Commissioner Nomie Lib, who doesn’t support billionaires or target pro-Palestinian protesters?” comedian Kate Willett remarked on X. “The choice isn’t just between Jessica Tisch and the abolitionists merely to garner Liberal Party support.”
Journalist Mehdi Hassan expressed his frustrations with Tisch during an interview with Mamdani on Wednesday, noting that numerous supporters of the mayor-elect oppose bail reform and are unhappy with his retention of officers linked to the NYPD’s intelligence division, which surveils Muslim communities.
Mamdani indicated that one reason for keeping Tisch was to help eliminate corrupt associates of former Mayor Eric Adams from higher ranks within the NYPD.
He argued that Tisch’s presence would complement his new initiative to create a “community safety office” and dismantle the NYPD’s strategic response group, which is often deployed to manage controversial protests.
“This is a plan that recognizes the need for both security and justice,” he concluded. “Bringing her on board is part of this broader agenda.”
