New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani announced he will retain Jessica Tisch as the city’s police commissioner, fulfilling a campaign pledge and signaling continuity in the leadership of the nation’s largest police department. Tisch, who was appointed by Mayor Eric Adams in 2024, confirmed she will remain in the role, emphasizing her commitment to public safety and the department.
In a department-wide email, Tisch acknowledged that she and Mamdani do not agree on every policy but underscored shared priorities, including the importance of maintaining public safety, reducing crime, and ensuring stability within the NYPD. “Now, do the Mayor-elect and I agree on everything? No, we don’t. But in speaking with him, it’s clear that we share broad and crucial priorities,” she said. Tisch added that she is confident in her ability to lead the department honorably under Mamdani and vowed to be “a fierce advocate” for officers.
Tisch’s decision to inform the NYPD before the official announcement was noted by officers, reflecting her intention to demonstrate respect for the rank-and-file. “Very classy to tell the rank and file first,” a police source commented. “Shows the deep respect she has for the cops and the work they do.”
Union leaders welcomed the news. Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry remarked that Tisch’s retention ensures stability and continuity in leadership, while Scott Munro, head of the Detectives Endowment Association, called it “a great day for New York City Detectives, the NYPD, and the citizens we are proud to serve.”
Mamdani’s team highlighted Tisch’s record in reducing crime, including record-low shootings this year, and praised her efforts to address corruption, with Mamdani emphasizing that the goal is to create a city where both officers and the communities they serve “are safe, represented, and proud to call New York their home.”
Tisch began her public service career in 2008 in the NYPD’s Counterterrorism Bureau and Information Technology and Telecommunications Department. She later led the city’s Sanitation Department under Mayor Adams. She has served the city for 18 years and comes from a family noted for philanthropy to institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York University, and Mount Sinai Health System.
New York City recorded 377 homicides in 2024, the lowest since 2020, although felony assaults reached their highest level in at least 24 years, highlighting ongoing public safety challenges as Tisch prepares to continue her leadership under the incoming administration.
