Zohran Mamdani orders use-of-force review for New York City police

Key Points:

• New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has ordered the first review in a decade of the NYPD’s use of force policies and announced a package of reforms to strengthen accountability for police misconduct.
• The reforms include $2.6 million in additional funding for the Office of the Inspector General, a new notification system to complete disciplinary hearings before officers retire, and efforts to comply with state reporting on police-involved deaths.
• The announcement comes amid progressive pressure to address police accountability, particularly targeting the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group, a rapid-response unit criticized for its handling of recent protests following an ICE officer’s shooting of a man in Marble Hill.
• Despite a significant increase in reported use-of-force incidents over the past decade, New York City has seen historic declines in major crimes, including shootings and murders, in 2025.
• Progressive politicians, including Mamdani’s endorsed candidates, continue to call for Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s removal, though Mamdani has indicated that retaining her was a recommendation from Governor Kathy Hochul rather than a condition.