Mamdani Says He Won’t Fire NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch
Andrew Powell · Oct 14, 2026 · 2 min read
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is standing behind NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch despite pressure from members of his democratic-socialist political coalition to remove her from the post.
According to Fox News, Mamdani was asked Tuesday about Tisch’s future as he and the commissioner attended a ceremony honoring fallen New York City police officers.
The mayor made clear that he does not intend to replace her.
“Jessica Tisch is the police commissioner. I have no plans to change that,” Mamdani told reporters.
Mamdani pointed to Tisch’s record as the reason he selected her to lead the department. He credited her with addressing corruption within the NYPD while also citing declines in violent crime during their time working together.
The mayor said the city has recorded its lowest number of murders and shootings, as well as the fewest shooting victims, during the past 10 months.
His comments followed a call from the New York City chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America for Tisch to be removed. The group also urged Mamdani to use his authority to push Immigration and Customs Enforcement out of New York City.
The demands came after a shooting last week during an ICE operation in the Bronx involving Oscar Belgal, a 28-year-old Dominican national. The Department of Homeland Security said Belgal was shot after allegedly refusing officers’ commands during an operation targeting him.
City Hall previously said Mamdani was reviewing the circumstances surrounding the shooting but did not intend to dismiss Tisch.
Scott Munro, president of the Detectives’ Endowment Association, said Tuesday that he believes Mamdani continues to support the commissioner. Munro pointed to declining crime figures and said Tisch was “doing her job.”
Mamdani and Tisch appeared together at the New York City Police Memorial on Tuesday as the city honored 42 fallen NYPD members. The ceremony recognized 41 officers who died from illnesses connected to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and their aftermath, along with Detective First Grade Didarul Islam, who was killed in a 2025 mass shooting in Midtown Manhattan.
Mamdani spoke about the families left behind by the officers who died.
“While we cannot feel the silence they left behind, we will refuse to let their memory fade,” he said.
The mayor has also ordered the NYPD to conduct a broad review of its use-of-force policies and practices. He announced additional measures designed to strengthen accountability in cases involving allegations of serious police misconduct.
Those reforms come as Mamdani faces pressure from his political allies over policing while continuing to keep Tisch in charge of the department.