NYC Mayor Mamdani Launches NYPD Use-of-Force Review, Falls Short of Campaign Promises
The initiative follows the fatal shooting of Win Rozario during a mental health crisis call, but does not include disbanding controversial units or eliminating suspect databases as previously pledged.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on Monday the launch of an internal review of the New York Police Department’s use of force. This initiative comes more than nine months after Mamdani took office and follows the 2024 shooting of 19-year-old Win Rozario, who was killed by officers responding to a mental health crisis call.
Mamdani stated, "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."
The review, described as the first of its kind in over a decade, will include a "robust community engagement process." The initiative also allocates an additional $2.6 million in funding for the Office of Inspector General for the NYPD. Furthermore, the NYPD will now notify state authorities when officers facing disciplinary charges retire, enabling the state to pursue decertification and prevent officers from avoiding scrutiny by joining other law enforcement agencies.
However, the current measures fall short of several key campaign promises Mamdani made. These unfulfilled pledges include disbanding the NYPD's Strategic Response Group (SRG), eliminating its database of suspected gang members, and shifting police resources away from addressing low-level offenses.
Mamdani had previously advocated for an end to arrests for offenses such as public urination and open container violations, arguing that such focus hinders officers' ability to combat violent crime. Despite his earlier stance, citations for public urination have increased by 18% in the current period, according to recent reporting.
In a post to X shortly after announcing his mayoral bid, Mamdani declared, "As Mayor, I will disband the SRG, which has cost taxpayers millions in lawsuit settlements + brutalized countless New Yorkers exercising their First Amendment rights." He also vowed to end the database of suspected gang members.
The shooting of Win Rozario occurred in March 2024 when officers responded to a call placed by Rozario himself. An altercation ensued when Rozario, experiencing a mental health crisis, reacted negatively to the officers' presence. After police used Tasers, Rozario, unsubdued, grabbed scissors and advanced on the officers, who then shot him. The New York Attorney General’s office declined to bring criminal charges against the officers in December 2025, concluding that their use of deadly force was justified under state law.
Mamdani's administration has also retained Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who was appointed by his predecessor, Eric Adams. The mayor's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the divergence of his current police reform plans from those outlined during his campaign.