Pray for New York
Zohran Mamdani Demotes NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch
Zohran Mamdani has wasted no time showing New York his true colors. It's not looking good (unless you're Muslim of course.)
Newly inaugurated Mayor Zohran Mamdani has implemented a significant overhaul of the New York Police Department's (NYPD) reporting structure, requiring Commissioner Jessica Tisch to report through a deputy mayor instead of directly to him.
The change, effective as of January 1, 2026, effectively demotes Tisch and ends the post-9/11 tradition of daily one-on-one intelligence briefings between the mayor and the police commissioner.
Critics argue that this shift could compromise situational awareness on security threats in New York City, a prime target for terrorism since the September 11 attacks. Under the new framework, the NYPD falls under the oversight of the deputy mayor for operations, alongside municipal services such as sanitation and garbage collection, leading some to criticize it as treating policing like everyday city maintenance.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist and former New York State Assembly member who secured victory in the 2025 mayoral race, had pledged during his campaign to retain Tisch, a counterterrorism expert appointed in 2024, to assure continuity despite his history of critiquing the NYPD.
However, the restructuring was among his first executive actions, prompting backlash from conservative commentators and security experts who accuse him of downplaying risks from Islamic terrorism in favor of progressive policies.
Supporters of the mayor contend that the changes support his vision for community-oriented public safety and less centralized police power, with no official statements from City Hall suggesting an intentional dismissal of terror threats. Tisch continues in her position but with reduced direct mayoral access.