According to Zoran Mamdani, the idea of keeping Jessica Tisch as police chief might not hold much significance on its own.
It feels like yet another invitation to hope that he might be better than the concerns raised about public safety and anti-Semitism.
Aiming to keep the NYPD out of politics, Tisch isn’t expected to speak too openly. But, what will she really say? That’s pretty clear.
If she were to accept his offer, Mamdani would need to abandon nearly all of her plans for addressing police and crime issues—and focus more on tackling the rise of anti-Semitism rather than enabling it through passive measures.
First off, there’s the question of public safety.
Mamdani has been vocal about wanting to reduce the police force, which has, in reality, already happened. There are fewer arrests and fewer criminals facing jail time.
He’s even planning on closing Rikers Island, which would mean not enough cells for the current prison population.
His agenda includes decriminalizing sex work and most drug offenses, as well as other minor crimes.
He also aims to transfer police disciplinary matters to the Civilian Complaint Review Board, which leans anti-police, and take away crucial powers from the police commissioner. Moreover, he seems intent on discouraging officers from taking necessary actions, even against serious offenders.
He’s considering dismantling the NYPD unit tasked with managing protests, potentially allowing situations like the summer 2020 protests to escalate into riots.
Many anticipate that electing him will further drive police officers into early retirement or other jobs, yet he hasn’t indicated any plans to improve morale or hire enough personnel to meet current budget goals.
Interestingly, he hasn’t even issued an apology for previously labeling the NYPD as “racist.”
Unless he changes his stance on all of this, it’s hard to see Tisch agreeing to stay. It would seem strange—almost as if he wants to be fired quickly.
Realistically, it would be challenging for Mamdani to appoint a police commissioner who believes in effective policing, especially since he himself seems skeptical of it.
Now, about anti-Semitism.
Tisch doesn’t make a big fuss over it, but she has Jewish roots, and he doesn’t fit the mold of a completely progressive figure like Brad Lander.
Staying under Mamdani would mean endorsing not just his strong anti-Israel views but also what many interpret as underlying anti-Semitism.
While surveys suggest about a quarter of the city’s Jewish population might support Mamdani, some may be deceived into thinking he aligns with their views.
However, for those Jews who haven’t bought into far-left ideologies, working directly with him seems unlikely unless he publicly renounces those foundational beliefs.
To clarify, this isn’t coming from Tisch or her representatives. These are our interpretations, not her statements.
But it’s evident—you know it, she knows it, and so does Mamdani.
In fact, his proposition to offer her a position feels like yet another sign that he underestimates the intelligence of most voters.
