Nearly 250 New York City police officers quit in the weeks leading up to Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory, highlighting a growing exodus in the department despite the Democratic Socialist’s softening of his anti-police rhetoric.
The 245 resignations in October represent a 35% increase compared to the same month last year, according to Police Pension Fund data.
Mamdani, 34, became the youngest mayor in city history on Tuesday after a campaign focused on affordability and amplified by social media outreach that energized younger voters.
While he has tried to downplay his earlier remarks criticizing law enforcement, police unions say morale remains dangerously low.
“Morale is down because everyone is concerned about the policies Mamdani wants to put in place,” Scott Munro, president of the Detectives Endowment Association, told the NY Post. “You have a person who is supposed to be running New York City that does not believe in law enforcement.”
The Police Benevolent Association warned that the trend could worsen. “Every single month, we’re losing enough cops to staff an entire precinct,” PBA President Patrick Hendry told the New York Times. He cited unsustainable workloads, an expired contract, and a lack of support as key factors driving officers away.
The NYPD told Daily Mail it is ramping up recruitment to address the departures and bring in the next generation of officers, according to the Daily Mail.
“We are laser-focused on addressing our recruitment efforts and bringing in the next generation of officers. The momentum is changing and we will continue to attract the highest level of candidates to protect this city,” a spokesperson said.
The department recently welcomed 1,093 new recruits, marking the largest Police Academy class since January 2016.
So far this year, the NYPD has hired 2,911 recruits and is on track for its largest annual hiring in history. Over the past four years, the department has added nearly 10,000 new officers.
Despite Mamdani’s attempts to soften his stance on policing, including an apology for past remarks calling the NYPD “racist and anti-queer,” police unions remain skeptical.
Officers are reportedly uneasy about his proposed reforms and his past social media posts advocating defunding the department during the height of Black Lives Matter protests.
Mamdani has repeatedly emphasized that he has no plans to defund the NYPD and has expressed interest in retaining Commissioner Sewell. He has also proposed shifting final disciplinary authority from the police commissioner to the Civilian Complaint Review Board, a move that has sparked additional debate.
Among the most notable recent departures is Deputy Chief John D’Adamo, head of the Strategic Response Group, a unit responsible for policing protests. D’Adamo resigned the day after Mamdani’s election, though a friend said the decision was unrelated to politics and due to retirement plans.
The union added that Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s future with the department could have ripple effects on morale and retention. “If she leaves it may result in an uptick [in departures], if she stays, maybe not,” a source said.
Despite the spike in resignations, the NYPD has managed to maintain overall staffing levels.
The department currently has 33,745 uniformed officers, slightly fewer than the 33,812 reported in 2024. At its peak in 2000, the NYPD had 40,285 officers, according to the Independent Budget Office.
With officer morale fragile and resignations on the rise, the NYPD faces a critical test in the weeks and months ahead as Mamdani takes office, leaving law enforcement leaders scrambling to maintain stability and public safety.
