Zohran Mamdani recently addressed speculation regarding the reporting structure of NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, affirming that she continues to report directly to him despite an executive order that caused confusion.
According to The New York Post, the order, issued on Mamdani's first day in office, granted his first deputy, Dean Fuleihan, the authority to oversee the NYPD, leading to rumors of Tisch's demotion.
Observers at City Hall, including members of the press, initially interpreted the order as a significant reduction in Tisch's authority within the administration. This prompted Mamdani to clarify the situation, stating at a news conference, "My police commissioner will continue to report directly to me." The executive order, signed on New Year's Day, placed the NYPD under the first deputy mayor's jurisdiction for detailed governance matters.
This move marks a return to a practice followed by previous mayors, which Mayor Eric Adams had altered by placing the NYPD under his first deputy mayor for public safety. Phil Banks, who held that position under Adams, resigned amid a federal corruption investigation after being accused of interfering with the NYPD.
Mamdani's order, while restoring the police commissioner's bureaucratic alignment with the first deputy mayor, was misinterpreted by some as a major restructuring that could destabilize the NYPD.
Further rumors suggested that Mamdani had ceased receiving daily intelligence briefings from Tisch, which fueled concerns. The National Jewish Advocacy Center, already wary of Mamdani's revocation of Adams' executive orders on antisemitism, expressed its apprehensions in a letter to the new mayor.
Tisch is perceived as a potential moderating influence within Mamdani's democratic socialist administration, despite their policy disagreements, including those concerning Israel.
Mamdani emphasized the distinction between day-to-day supervision by the first deputy mayor and ultimate accountability to him, stating, "My police commissioner, just like my schools chancellor, will report directly to me." He further explained, "The executive order is in terms of the question of coordination. This is about the daily minutiae of coordination."
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