Mamdani Faces DSA Criticism Over NYPD Expansion

NEW YORK, NY— A coalition of left-wing organizations led by the Democratic Socialists of America’s New York chapter publicly challenged Mayor Zohran Mamdani over policing policy, accusing him of abandoning key campaign promises as crime continues to decline across New York City.

The coalition urged Mamdani to reverse plans to add 580 officers to the New York Police Department, arguing the proposal conflicts with the platform that helped elect him.

“Last year, Zohran Mamdani’s democratic socialist platform gave us hope for a transformative approach to public safety,” the groups wrote in a joint statement on social media.

The coalition pointed to campaign promises to create a Department of Community Safety focused on violence prevention, mental health services and community-based responses while keeping NYPD staffing levels flat.

The groups acknowledged Mamdani's creation of the Office of Community Safety, but said the planned expansion of the police force would require at least $70 million in city funding and "runs counter to the values of the socialist and working-class movement that elected him."

“Increasing the police presence in our city will not ensure safer communities,” the statement read. “We are calling on Mayor Mamdani to reverse this proposed expansion of the NYPD and invest the money in community safety programs instead.”

The coalition also demanded that Mamdani accelerate efforts to transfer social-service functions out of the NYPD, establish a non-police crisis response system and eliminate the department's Strategic Response Group and gang database.

The organizations signing the statement included the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America, Jews For Racial & Economic Justice, Desis Rising Up and Moving, VOCAL-NY, the Justice Committee and New York Communities for Change.

The public criticism marks one of the most significant breaks yet between Mamdani and the political movement that formed the foundation of his electoral coalition.

Frustration surfaced in comments from supporters who said they spent months campaigning for the mayor.

“As a DSA member who canvassed for Zohran many times, it’s mind blowing to me to know that when I go to protests I’m effectively getting manhandled and harassed by agents of a DSA member,” one supporter wrote on social media, criticizing Mamdani for retaining Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and failing to disband the Strategic Response Group.

Another commenter argued the dispute highlighted a broader challenge for the organization, writing that the DSA should require elected members to adhere more closely to party positions.

Since taking office, Mamdani has taken a more moderate approach to policing than many activists expected.

He retained Tisch, largely deferred to her leadership on department operations and sought to improve relations with police officers who viewed him skeptically during the campaign.

Several of the mayor’s signature public safety initiatives have moved more slowly than originally proposed.

His Office of Community Safety launched with a smaller budget and narrower scope than envisioned during the campaign.

While Mamdani has continued to voice support for dismantling the Strategic Response Group, his administration has yet to announce concrete plans to eliminate the unit. He has also appeared to soften his position on ending the gang database after citing reforms to the program.

Mamdani has defended the planned increase in staffing as a response to public safety needs in the Bronx and efforts to improve officer training.

According to NYPD CompStat weekly data, murders have fallen 23.7 percent this year, dropping from 139 to 106. Robberies are down 11.8 percent, burglaries have declined 18 percent and grand larcenies have fallen 4.4 percent compared with the same period a year earlier.

Overall major crime has decreased 6.18 percent, with 47,313 incidents reported compared with 50,431 during the same period last year.

Shootings have also continued to decline. The city recorded 302 shooting victims, down 9 percent from 332 a year earlier, while shooting incidents fell 7.5 percent.