NYC Mayor Mandates Sweeping Review of NYPD Force Policies

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has initiated a comprehensive review of the New York Police Department's (NYPD) use-of-force policies, marking the first such review in a decade. Alongside this directive, the mayor announced a series of reforms designed to enhance department transparency and bolster independent oversight. These announcements follow the controversial retirement of NYPD Officer Salvatore Alongi in March 2024, who fatally shot 19-year-old Win Rozario during a mental health crisis, thereby retiring before facing a departmental disciplinary trial.

Mayor Mamdani emphasized the necessity of stringent accountability when the government uses force. He stated that every New Yorker deserves assurance that force is used lawfully, carefully, and only when necessary. Mamdani highlighted the city's obligation to Rozario's family and to all New Yorkers seeking help during a crisis, asserting that the review aims to ensure policies reflect this responsibility, provide officers with proper guidance and training, and build public trust.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, while not directly addressing the mayor’s directive for a use-of-force review, acknowledged a mistake made by the department. Tisch apologized for the failure to notify the Civilian Complaint Review Board (CCRB) before the Pension Board considered Officer Alongi’s disability pension, which prevented the CCRB from taking appropriate steps. As a consequence, the civilian employee responsible for the notification oversight was reassigned with a pay cut. The Attorney General Letitia James' Office of Special Investigations had previously stated in 2025 that it would not prosecute Alongi or Officer Matthew Cianfrocco, who also fired at Rozario.

The reforms announced by Mayor Mamdani's office include a significant increase in funding for the NYPD's Office of the Inspector General, with an additional $2.6 million tripling the office's headcount. Furthermore, the NYPD has implemented a new retirement notification system aimed at ensuring that all departmental disciplinary processes are completed before an officer retires. The department will also formalize its existing practice of notifying the State Division of Criminal Justice Services when an officer retires with pending disciplinary charges, a measure intended to prevent such officers from being hired by other police agencies within the state.

Patrick Hendry, president of the NYPD Police Benevolent Association (PBA), expressed strong criticism regarding the mayor's initiative. Hendry argued that there should be no review of the NYPD’s use-of-force policies without a corresponding review of what he described as the