Activists and elected officials have sharply criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani for his administration's proposal to increase the New York Police Department's headcount, a move they say contradicts his campaign pledges to reform the NYPD. Approximately 50 individuals gathered near City Hall on Thursday to voice their concerns.
During his campaign, Mamdani had committed to maintaining the NYPD's staffing level at 35,000 officers. However, his executive budget proposal for fiscal year 2027 outlines an increase from the current 33,861 officers to 35,370. Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, an ally of the mayor, stated his presence at the rally was to encourage Mamdani to uphold his campaign commitments.
Concerns were also raised by Samy Feliz, whose brother Allan Feliz was fatally shot by NYPD Lt. Jonathan Rivera in 2019. Feliz recalled Mamdani's past calls for Rivera's dismissal, noting that the officer has not been fired and that the mayor has not delivered on other promises. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch previously ruled that Rivera's actions were justified, citing the need to protect another officer's life.
Mamdani had also pledged to reallocate police resources by establishing a new Department of Community Safety, budgeted at $1.1 billion, to handle mental health-related 911 calls with outreach workers and counselors. Instead, his administration has launched the Mayor's Office of Community Safety with a budget of approximately $260 million.
Further campaign promises that advocates say remain unfulfilled include disbanding the NYPD's Strategic Response Group, scrapping the department's gang database, and ceasing homeless encampment sweeps.
The critics argue that the proposed budget prioritizes police hiring over essential services such as housing and education, with the City Council's budget approval deadline approaching on June 30. Bronx Councilwoman Pierina Sanchez indicated she would oppose the budget unless Mamdani fulfills his promise to expand housing voucher programs, such as CityFHEPS.
"That is what my kids need. That is what I need. That is what our people need. So please, as an ally, I will do the right thing to make true on your camping promises," Sanchez stated. A coalition of landlords, homeowners, and NYCHA residents, known as the "New York Neighborhoods Coalition," also demanded an expansion of housing programs, calling the current budget a "a slap in the face."
Mamdani acknowledged the criticisms, stating he was considering them during final budget negotiations. "I appreciate the fact that their concern comes from a desire for the city to be the best that it can be, the safest that it could be," he told News12. "And as the mayor, you appreciate and take into consideration everyone’s views and opinions on these things."