Daijiworld Media Network – New York
New York, Nov 20: In a major administrative decision ahead of taking office in January, New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday confirmed that Jessica Tisch will continue as commissioner of the NYPD. Tisch, appointed by outgoing mayor Eric Adams, has been credited with leading the country’s largest police force through a significant decline in crime rates, including major reductions in shootings and homicides.
In a letter to NYPD personnel, accessed by CNN, Tisch expressed gratitude for the extension. “Leading this department is the greatest privilege of my life, and I am proud to continue doing it,” she wrote. Acknowledging differences with the mayor-elect, she added that both share “broad and crucial priorities”—strengthening public safety, reducing crime, and ensuring stability within the department.
The decision reportedly involved compromise from both sides, as Mamdani and Tisch have long held differing views on policing. Mamdani, who once supported defunding the police before later apologising during his mayoral campaign, has advocated for restructuring emergency response systems. Tisch, meanwhile, is known as a technology-driven administrator who has pushed to roll back several criminal justice reforms.
The two appeared together at the Fallen Heroes Memorial in Lower Manhattan on Wednesday, where they paid respects to NYPD officers who lost their lives in the line of duty. Mamdani said he valued the opportunity to learn the stories behind the names etched on the memorial. Tisch described the visit as meaningful, noting that it was the first public engagement they undertook jointly.
Mamdani reiterated his plan to create a Department of Community Safety that would handle non-violent emergency calls, including mental health crises, domestic disputes, and homelessness—incidents that currently place significant burden on police officers. “It’s untenable for officers to be asked to respond to the 200,000 mental health calls they receive every year,” he said, stressing that Commissioner Tisch supports the initiative.
Despite the leadership continuity, concerns remain within the force about falling morale and rising attrition. Police unions have flagged a 35 per cent surge in officer departures in October compared to last year.
An heiress to the Loews family fortune, Tisch previously headed the city’s sanitation department and served as New York’s chief technology officer. At the NYPD, she has overseen operations to seize thousands of illegal firearms and has remained publicly neutral throughout the mayoral campaign.