Mamdani Orders NYPD to Review Use-of-Force Policies Amid Oversight Funding Boost
Mayor Mamdani directs the NYPD's first use-of-force policy review in a decade and allocates $2.6 million more for police oversight.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has ordered the New York Police Department (NYPD) to conduct its first comprehensive review of its use-of-force policies in ten years. The directive, announced Monday, coincides with an additional $2.6 million in funding allocated for independent police oversight.
The mayor's order follows the recent retirement of an officer involved in the fatal shooting of a mentally ill teenager in Queens, who was allowed to leave the force before facing a disciplinary trial. "When the government uses force against a New Yorker, the standard for accountability must be at its highest. Every New Yorker deserves to know that force will be used lawfully, carefully and only when necessary," Mamdani stated.
The incident in question involved the March 2024 death of 19-year-old Win Rozario. Police responded to a 911 call at his home in Ozone Park, Queens. Body camera footage showed Rozario lunging at officers with scissors, despite pleas from his mother and brother not to shoot. Officers had previously deployed Tasers, but Rozario continued to advance. Officers Matthew Cianfrocco and Salvatore Alongi fired their weapons, and Rozario later died at the hospital.
In December, New York Attorney General Letitia James opted not to pursue criminal charges against the officers. However, the involved officers remained subject to internal departmental review. The recent retirement of one officer before a disciplinary trial ignited outrage among Rozario's family.
Mamdani emphasized the city's obligation to those who seek help in crisis. "We have an obligation to Win’s family and to every New Yorker who calls for help in a moment of crisis," he said. "This review is about making sure our policies reflect that responsibility, that our officers have the guidance and training they need and that New Yorkers and their families can trust their city will treat them with care and dignity."
The increased funding will go to the Office of the Inspector General for the NYPD (OIG-NYPD), an independent body responsible for overseeing the department's operations and policies. This allocation is expected to triple the current staff size of the OIG-NYPD.