Copyright AM New York
Upon being elected New York City’s 111th mayor a week ago Tuesday, Zohran Mamdani thanked his supporters for showing “that when politics speaks to you without condescension, we can usher in a new era of leadership.” Whether you agreed or disagreed with Mamdani’s policies, one thing was certain: The way he campaigned for mayor ignited a political passion not seen in this city in more than three decades, as reflected by a turnout of more than 2 million voters. Many voters undoubtedly see Mamdani as the antidote to the common politician who would normally evade tough questions from the press or offer quick soundbites without taking real action. However, early on in the transition process, one question has surfaced in which the incoming mayor has sounded more like a common politician than he would care to admit. That question focuses on who will be in charge of the New York Police Department, the nation’s largest and finest police force, when Mamdani takes office on Jan. 1. The new mayor himself has said repeatedly — in a New York Times report, during an Oct. 22 debate, and in a number of press appearances — that he would like the current commish, Jessica Tisch to stay on the job. Yet when pressed as recently as Monday as to whether he has spoken with her to make the job offer formal, Mamdani — much like the common politician he campaigned not to be — has deflected, offering no new clarity on the situation. “I continue to retain my interest in keeping Commissioner Jessica Tisch,” he said. Tisch has declined to comment on the situation herself, saying she wants to keep politics out of the conversation. That is a fair point. Modern precedent dictates that the commissioner serves at the mayor’s pleasure, so the incoming mayor bears the responsibility of answering the question of who the city’s next top cop will be. Mamdani should move heaven and earth to keep Tisch, should she wish to remain on the job — and we hope she will, for the good of the city. The NYPD has been through four different police commissioners in as many years. Tisch has done a great deal to stabilize the department, root out corruption from within, address the ongoing staffing crisis and bring overall crime down. Mayor-elect Mamdani could use Tisch’s steady hand at the helm of the NYPD, especially as he rolls out his proposed “Department of Community Safety” — the agency he wants to address mental health and other crises, which the NYPD currently responds to today. Tisch’s expertise can help Mamdani develop the framework and infrastructure needed for both the NYPD and the new agency to work in tandem without unnecessary conflict or confusion. Mamdani needs to do more than wishcast at press conferences that he wants to keep Tisch — he needs to take the initiative, talk with Tisch, and give her the full support she needs to remain as NYC’s top cop.
