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Nearly 250 New York City police officers resigned in the weeks leading up to Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory, despite the democratic socialist softening his earlier anti-police rhetoric. Mamdani, 34, became the youngest mayor in city history Tuesday after a campaign centered on affordability and fueled by savvy social media outreach that energized younger voters. The 245 resignations in October represent a 35 percent increase compared to the 181 officers who left during the same month last year, according to Police Pension Fund data. In response, the NYPD told Daily Mail 'We are laser-focused on addressing our recruitment efforts and bringing in the next generation of officers. The momentum is changing and we will continue to attract the highest level of candidates to protect this city.' The department noted that 1,093 new officers were hired last month, marking the largest Police Academy class since January 2016. So far this year, the NYPD has hired 2,911 recruits and is on track for the largest annual hiring in its history, with nearly 10,000 new officers added over the past four years. Despite Mamdani's recent efforts to soften his stance on policing, including an apology for past remarks calling the NYPD 'racist and anti-queer,' police unions said morale within the department has dropped sharply. Officers are reportedly concerned about the mayor-elect's proposed reforms and past rhetoric. 'Morale is down because everyone is concerned about the policies Mamdani wants to put in place,' Scott Munro, president of the Detectives Endowment Association, told the NY Post. 'You have a person who is supposed to be running New York City that does not believe in law enforcement.' The Police Benevolent Association (PBA), which is preparing to negotiate a new contract with Mamdani, warned that the trend could worsen. 'Every single month, we're losing enough cops to staff an entire precinct,' PBA President Patrick Hendry told the New York Times. He cited unsustainable workloads, an expired contract, and a lack of support as key factors driving officers away. A union source told the NY Post that Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s future with the department could have ripple effects on morale and retention. 'If she leaves it may result in an uptick,' the source said. 'If she stays, maybe not.' Despite the spike in resignations, new hires have helped the NYPD maintain its overall staffing levels. The department currently has a uniformed headcount of 33,745, slightly down from 33,812 in 2024. The NYPD's peak staffing was 40,285 in 2000, according to the Independent Budget Office. Among the most notable recent departures is Deputy Chief John D'Adamo, head of the Strategic Response Group, a unit tasked with policing protests. Mamdani has previously criticized the group and suggested it could be disbanded. D'Adamo resigned the day after Mamdani's election, though a friend said his decision was unrelated to the political shift and that he was simply ready to retire. Mamdani's past social media posts from 2020 show him repeatedly advocating to defund the police during the height of the Black Lives Matter protests. He referred to the NYPD as a 'rogue agency' and a 'major threat to public safety,' and posted that 'nature was healing' after hearing an officer cried over Joe Biden's election win. During the campaign, Mamdani denied being anti-police and stated he would not defund the NYPD. He expressed interest in retaining Commissioner Sewell and said he would invest in social and mental health services to support public safety. He also proposed transferring final disciplinary authority from the police commissioner to the Civilian Complaint Review Board, a move that has sparked further debate.
