Real-Time Surveillance Expands At NYPD

NEW YORK, NY — Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch used her 2026 State of the NYPD address to outline a department reshaped by real-time intelligence, counterterrorism priorities and structural changes aimed at neighborhoods facing the “highest levels of violence.”

Speaking to city, state and federal officials, Tisch framed the department’s direction around preparedness, accountability and modernization following a year of historic declines in gun violence and major crime.

Real-Time Policing Moves From Screens To The Street

At the center of the NYPD’s technology push is the launch of Domain Awareness System 2.0, an upgraded platform designed to deliver intelligence directly to officers and supervisors in the field.

Under the new system, officers can receive immediate alerts from license plate readers, while supervisors at scenes can view live drone video and track its position relative to an incident.

“This is not AI, this is not facial recognition and this is not an automated tool to track people’s movements throughout the city,” she said. “It is, however, a crime fighter’s dream and a criminal nightmare.”

Counterterrorism Focus Shaped By Global Threats

Marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, Tisch said international instability continues to shape NYPD counterterrorism planning.

“New York City remains part of that threat calculus, and we plan accordingly,” she said.

She cited persistent ISIS networks operating in Syria and growing extremist activity in parts of Africa, particularly West Africa and Somalia, where terrorist groups linked to ISIS and al-Qaida have expanded amid weak government control.

NYPD investigators assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force, she said, have worked numerous cases connected to those regions.

Attempted 9/11-Style Plot Highlights Overseas Reach

Tisch pointed to a recent case involving Cholo Alki Abdullah, an al-Shabab operative who trained as a commercial pilot as part of a plan to carry out a Sept. 11-style attack in New York.

She said Abdullah studied airport security, airline hiring practices and planned to hijack a plane and crash it into a building in the United States. The plot was disrupted through the work of NYPD detectives and federal partners.

Abdullah was sentenced to life in prison last month.

Drones Named Top Emerging Threat

Tisch identified weaponized drones as the threat that concerns her most.

“If there is one threat that keeps me up at night, it is drones,” she said.

She described the war in Ukraine as a testing ground for drone warfare and warned that tactics once limited to militaries are increasingly accessible to smaller groups and individuals. Commercial drones, she said, can be easily adapted into weapons.

The NYPD can detect drones, but currently lacks authority to disable them. Tisch said the department expects to receive that authority from the White House this year and is investing millions of dollars in mitigation equipment and training.

Bronx To Be Split Into Two Patrol Boroughs

For the first time, the Bronx will be divided into two patrol borough commands, Bronx North and Bronx South, beginning in the spring.

The change will bring nearly 200 additional officers to the borough and add specialized units, including homicide detectives, evidence collection teams, narcotics squads, Neighborhood Safety Teams and auto crime units.

The Bronx recorded more crime per capita than any other borough last year, accounting for more than one-third of all shooting incidents and victims citywide. Residents generated nearly one million calls for service, more than Queens and nearly equal to Manhattan.

Major Overhaul Of Officer Training

Tisch announced the most significant overhaul of in-service training in decades.

Officers will participate in recurring, weeklong training sessions throughout their careers, covering tactics, de-escalation, constitutional policing, legal standards and situational awareness.

311 Dispatch And Precinct Operations Go Digital

The NYPD will modernize its 311 dispatch system for quality-of-life complaints handled by Q-Teams, bringing those jobs under the same tracking and accountability structure used for 911 calls.

The department will also digitize precinct command logs, replacing handwritten records used since 1845 with a real-time digital system showing staffing, inspections, equipment and compliance across precincts.

Immigration Enforcement Line Reaffirmed

Tisch reiterated that the NYPD does not participate in civil immigration enforcement.

“We do not ask people about their immigration status, and we do not do civil immigration enforcement on behalf of the federal government,” she said.

She said the department continues to work closely with federal partners on serious criminal matters, including terrorism and violent crime, but warned that immigration operations can damage trust and leave local police to manage the fallout.

Chaplains And Legacy Honored

Tisch announced Cardinal Timothy Dolan and the Rev. A.R. Bernard as co-chief chaplains of the NYPD, following the death of longtime Chief Chaplain Rabbi Alvin Kass.

She also said the Police Academy will be renamed in honor of Detective Steven D. McDonald, who was shot and paralyzed in the line of duty in 1986 and later became a symbol of forgiveness and resilience within the department.