Shortened Version:
Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic front-runner for mayor of New York City, said he intends to ask Jessica Tisch to stay on as police commissioner if he is elected. The decision is likely to placate powerful New Yorkers and caps a months-long lobbying campaign.
For Mamdani, a democratic socialist with a history of criticizing the police, the choice is significant. He confirmed the decision in a debate, stating, “I’ve said time and again that my litmus test for that position will be excellence.”
The move is a strategic one, aiming to counter attacks from rivals who portray him as hostile to law enforcement. The ideological differences between the two are stark: Mamdani once called the department “racist” and “anti-queer” (positions he has since disavowed), while Tisch is a billionaire heiress who has pushed for stricter criminal justice laws.
Campaign aides believe Mamdani can work with Tisch to implement key promises, including creating the community safety department to shift responsibility for mental health episodes away from the police. This plan, along with proposals to cut the police overtime budget and disband the unit that handles protests, is likely to face internal opposition.
The decision has drawn praise from establishment figures but skepticism from others. Former Commissioner William Bratton said he would advise Tisch to decline, stating, “I think she would have an extraordinarily difficult time working with him.”^[[1] https://web.archive.org/web/20251024065716/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/22/nyregion/jessica-tisch-nypd-mamdani.html]