New York City Mayoral Candidates Agree on Keeping NYPD Commissioner Amid Controversy, But Progressives Remain Skeptical.
Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, and Curtis Sliwa are all at odds with each other over various policy issues, but when it comes to the NYPD Commissioner position, they appear united in their desire to keep Jessica Tisch on as commissioner if elected. The 44-year-old heiress has been leading the department since November 2024, during a tumultuous period marked by high-profile crimes and allegations of corruption.
Tisch's appointment was seen as an attempt to restore order to a troubled department. Under her leadership, crime rates have dropped significantly, with felony assaults, rapes, and domestic violence cases remaining stubbornly high. However, critics argue that her focus on policing low-level crimes has had the opposite effect, pushing more people through the justice system.
The Q-teams initiative, which dispatches police officers to respond to quality of life issues such as aggressive panhandling and noise complaints, has also been met with skepticism from some advocates who claim it's a form of "broken windows" policing. Critics argue that the program is disproportionately targeting communities of color and low-income neighborhoods.
Despite these criticisms, Tisch's leadership has earned praise for her efforts to root out corruption within the department. Since taking over, she has overseen hundreds of officers being returned to their assigned posts after determining they had been improperly transferred. The former head of internal affairs resigned amid an FBI investigation into one of her subordinates.
Law enforcement experts say that Tisch's greatest triumph as commissioner is stabilizing a troubled department, with many crediting her for not being one of Mayor Adams' cronies. Her decision to clear an officer who shot unarmed Allan Feliz during a traffic stop in 2019 has been widely criticized, however.
Tisch's response to the criticism suggests that she remains committed to policing low-level crimes and improving quality of life enforcement. However, her track record on these issues raises questions about whether she is truly addressing the root causes of crime in New York City. As the mayoral election approaches, Tisch's leadership style and priorities will likely be under intense scrutiny from both supporters and detractors.
Zohran Mamdani, Andrew Cuomo, and Curtis Sliwa are all at odds with each other over various policy issues, but when it comes to the NYPD Commissioner position, they appear united in their desire to keep Jessica Tisch on as commissioner if elected. The 44-year-old heiress has been leading the department since November 2024, during a tumultuous period marked by high-profile crimes and allegations of corruption.
Tisch's appointment was seen as an attempt to restore order to a troubled department. Under her leadership, crime rates have dropped significantly, with felony assaults, rapes, and domestic violence cases remaining stubbornly high. However, critics argue that her focus on policing low-level crimes has had the opposite effect, pushing more people through the justice system.
The Q-teams initiative, which dispatches police officers to respond to quality of life issues such as aggressive panhandling and noise complaints, has also been met with skepticism from some advocates who claim it's a form of "broken windows" policing. Critics argue that the program is disproportionately targeting communities of color and low-income neighborhoods.
Despite these criticisms, Tisch's leadership has earned praise for her efforts to root out corruption within the department. Since taking over, she has overseen hundreds of officers being returned to their assigned posts after determining they had been improperly transferred. The former head of internal affairs resigned amid an FBI investigation into one of her subordinates.
Law enforcement experts say that Tisch's greatest triumph as commissioner is stabilizing a troubled department, with many crediting her for not being one of Mayor Adams' cronies. Her decision to clear an officer who shot unarmed Allan Feliz during a traffic stop in 2019 has been widely criticized, however.
Tisch's response to the criticism suggests that she remains committed to policing low-level crimes and improving quality of life enforcement. However, her track record on these issues raises questions about whether she is truly addressing the root causes of crime in New York City. As the mayoral election approaches, Tisch's leadership style and priorities will likely be under intense scrutiny from both supporters and detractors.
. I mean, Jessica Tisch is trying to keep the status quo, but isn't that just kicking the can down the road? We need real reform, not just band-aid solutions.
. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad Tisch is cracking down on corruption, but is that really addressing the underlying issues?
. Can't we think outside the box for once?
. She's tryin' her best to keep NYC safe, but I guess that means makin' some tough decisions that don't always sit well with everyone 
. Those Q-teams initiative things might be a little rough around the edges, but at least she's tryin' to tackle the smaller stuff that can add up and make life harder for people 
. And yeah, maybe her handling of that one officer thingy wasn't perfect, but let's not forget she's got a lot on her plate and is basically makin' it up as she goes along 
.
I'm low-key worried that we're just patching up the same problems with the NYPD 
. I mean, crime rates are still through the roof 
, and those Q-teams might just be displacing one problem for another 
. We need real systemic change, not just tweaking the system 
. It's time to rethink our approach to policing and community building 
.
️, but others are skeptical about her approach to policing low-level crimes 
, but is it just pushing more people through the justice system? 
. That doesn't seem right 
. But at the same time, Tisch has been great about rooting out corruption within the department 
. It seems like it was a tough call 
. Either way, it's clear that she's not going to be afraid to take unpopular stances 
.
. We'll have to wait and see how the mayoral election plays out 
.
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BUT SERIOUSLY, PEOPLE NEED TO STOP BEING SO SKEPTICAL OF HER LEADERSHIP SKILLS. SHE'S DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF RESTORING ORDER IN THE DEPARTMENT AND CRIME RATES ARE ACTUALLY DOWN RIGHT NOW! 
. I JUST HOPE THE MAYORAL CANDIDATES WILL HAVE SOME DEBATE ABOUT THIS ISSUE INSTEAD OF JUST PLAYING ALONG WITH WHATEVER THEY THINK IS BEST FOR THEIR CAMPAIGNS 
. But, let's get real for a sec... she's still got some major critics who don't think she's doing enough to tackle the root causes of crime in NYC 
. I mean, it's one thing to keep crime rates down with low-level policing, but what about the systemic issues that are driving people to commit those crimes? 
.
... Tisch should be held accountable for her decisions, especially that shooting incident in 2019 
... can't trust someone who's just gonna sweep corruption under the rug 
... NYC deserves better leaders 
. Those Q-teams seem like they're just pushing people through the justice system, you know? I mean, what about addressing the root causes of crime? It feels like we're just patching up symptoms instead of fixing the problem 
... I don't think it sets a good precedent for police accountability. I'm all for keeping Tisch as commissioner if she can do better on these issues, but it's gonna take some serious effort from her and the new mayor 
... The people of NYC deserve a department that's really addressing crime and policing in a way that benefits everyone, not just those who are already privileged 
.
But at the same time, if she is making the department safer overall, does it even matter how she's doing it? 
. Maybe it's time for some real reform in the NYPD?