NYC Mayor Mamdani Rejects Calls to Fire Police Commissioner Tisch
Mayor Mamdani cites Commissioner Tisch's record on crime reduction amid pressure from socialist allies following an ICE-involved shooting.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Tuesday that he has no plans to dismiss NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, despite calls from some of his Democratic socialist allies to remove the city's top law enforcement official. The pressure mounted following an incident in the Bronx where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot an individual during a federal operation.
Mamdani defended his decision, stating, "Jessica Tisch is the police commissioner. I have no plans to change that." He highlighted Tisch's tenure, attributing the lowest recorded numbers of murders and shootings in the city's history to her leadership over the past 10 months. He specifically mentioned her record of "uprooting corruption from the upper echelons of the NYPD while lowering crime across our city."
The New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) had urged Mamdani to fire Tisch and to remove ICE from New York City. This demand followed the shooting of Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old Dominican national, during an ICE operation aimed at arresting him. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Belgal was shot after allegedly failing to comply with officers' orders.
Following the incident, a City Hall spokesperson indicated that while the mayor was reviewing the circumstances, there were no immediate plans to replace Tisch. Scott Munro, president of the Detectives' Endowment Association, expressed his belief that Mamdani supports the commissioner, citing the decrease in crime and Tisch's performance in her role.
Mamdani and Tisch appeared together on Tuesday at the New York City Police Memorial ceremony, which honored 42 fallen NYPD members, including those who died from illnesses related to the September 11th terrorist attacks and Detective First Grade Didarul Islam, who was killed in a 2025 mass shooting. Mamdani delivered remarks at the ceremony, stating, "While we cannot feel the silence they left behind, we will refuse to let their memory fade."
Earlier this week, Mayor Mamdani directed the NYPD to conduct a comprehensive review of its use-of-force policies and practices, and announced reforms aimed at increasing accountability for officers accused of serious misconduct.