The old saying goes, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” When it comes to the NYPD, its performance and leadership, Mayor Zohran Mamdani seems to have embraced that statement.

And why not? Through the first nine months of his first year in office, the mayor and all of us New Yorkers have been enjoying a safer city thanks to the NYPD — a 6.6% decrease in overall crime (86,023 incidents this year vs. 92,057 at the same point in 2025) and the fewest shooting incidents, shooting victims, and murders for the first three quarters of any year in recorded NYPD history.

Mamdani has made many changes since taking office that align with his political beliefs and advocacy. But perhaps the best thing he’s done thus far as the city’s chief executive is to let the NYPD be the NYPD — and let Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, appointed by his predecessor Eric Adams in November 2024, continue her incredible service to the city.

Since taking office, Tisch has not only embraced and carried out “precision policing” tactics to target high-crime areas and make them safer, but she’s also worked to boost public trust and confidence in the department.

The NYPD had become entangled in corruption when many of its highest-ranking personnel found themselves accused of sexual harassment or being involved in kickback schemes. Tisch would have none of it; she made sure the brass who tarnished the NYPD’s reputation were relieved of their duties, and saw to put in people of greater integrity to help her lead the department.

Without question, Mamdani and Tisch come from different backgrounds and have different political beliefs. Yet this “team of rivals” approach to governing America’s largest police force is working exceptionally well — even if a few critics still don’t understand it, or want to understand it.

The city’s chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) remains frustrated that Mamdani hasn’t replaced Tisch yet with someone more aligned with their far-left philosophies of policing. They are also fuming with Mamdani that he hasn’t done enough to disband the NYPD Strategic Response Group, the specialized unit of officers that respond to protests and have often clashed with protesters disturbing the peace.

Mamdani has, thus far, brushed aside the critics and stood by Tisch. He has rebuffed public calls from DSA members such as Congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier to fire the commissioner. Undoubtedly, that resistance will not stop the wailing and gnashing of teeth at the DSA; if anything, it’ll probably grow louder the longer they don’t get their way.

Mamdani, to his credit, seems to realize that he doesn’t need a left-wing ideologue running the NYPD; he needs a steady, competent hand to keep the city safe — and he already has that with Tisch.

The best thing Mamdani can do going forward is to ensure that Tisch continues to lead the NYPD as long as she wishes. If she decides someday to make a change, the mayor must find someone of equal qualifications who won’t steer the NYPD too far to the left or right – but one whose focus will always be on protecting the 8 million people of New York.

The NYPD isn’t broken, so there’s no need for Mamdani to fix it. And if the DSA doesn’t like that, they can vote for someone else. About the Author Conversations Profile All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines . Schneps Media does not endorse the views shared by readers in our comment sections.