NEW YORK – At a time when President Donald Trump is eyeing New York and hinting at federal intervention in the city’s crime policies, the race for mayor has put the NYPD at the center of debate.
The department is shedding about 316 officers a month, even as murders and shootings have dropped significantly, progress experts warn may not last without stronger recruitment. Against that backdrop, the mayoral candidates are offering sharply different visions for how to secure the nation’s largest police force and the city it protects.
“Recruitment efforts are down 63% nationwide, and the NYPD is suffering at 55%,” said Ralph Cilento, a John Jay College of Criminal Justice professor and former NYPD lieutenant. “They simply don’t have enough.”
Mamdani calls for shift in responsibilities 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 29: New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani attends the 2025 New York City Pride March on June 29, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Noam Galai/Getty Images)
The Democratic frontrunner, state Assemblymember Zoran Mamdani, is calling for a fundamental restructuring of the NYPD. His plan would shift responsibilities such as mental health crises and traffic enforcement away from officers and into the hands of other professionals, a move critics say amounts to defunding the police.
“A lot of these ideas can really only be described as political platitudes,” Cilento said. “They sound good for a campaign speech, but they’ve been recycled before.”
Cuomo proposes adding 5,000 more officers 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JULY 31: Former New York Governor and independent candidate for NYC Mayor Andrew Cuomo attends the funeral of slain NYPD officer Didarul Islam at Parkchester Jame Masjid on July 31, 2025 in the Parkchester neighborhood of the Bro
Independent candidate and former Governor Andrew Cuomo, the former governor, has pledged to hire 5,000 more police officers citywide, including 1,500 for the subway system.
Supporters argue the plan is achievable but costly.
“It’s possible, but every single thing that you wanna do, that has to do with hiring cops, comes down to the pocketbook,” Cilento says.
Sliwa plans to add 7,000 officers 
Curtis Sliwa, Republican mayoral candidate for New York City, speaks with New York Police Department (NYPD) officers outside the Manhattan office of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York, U.S., on Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021. Sliwa called for Govern
Republican contender Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels, has gone even further, promising to add 7,000 officers and expand resources. Cilento cautioned that the price tag could be more than New Yorkers are willing to bear.
Adams touts crime stats 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – JUNE 06: New York Mayor Eric Adams is joined by police detectives of the Gun Violence Suppression Division at a Brooklyn police facility where it was announced that arrests have been made against violent street gangs on June 06,
Mayor Eric Adams, who is seeking reelection, has presided over declines in major crime categories and won praise from some critics. But allegations of corruption and questions about his leadership have dragged him to the bottom of many polls.
“Eric Adams does not have a crime statistical problem. He’s got a perception problem,” Cilento said.
What we know:
While the candidates present starkly different approaches, all face the same challenge: stabilizing a shrinking police force while addressing public concerns about safety.
With the national criminal justice landscape shifting, the outcome of November’s election could reshape policing in New York for years to come.
The Source: This article includes reporting from FOX 5 NY’s Lisa Evers.
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