NYC NOW - NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch Accepts Mamdani’s Job Offer

Episode Date: November 19, 2025

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch accepts Mayor-elect Mamdani’s job offer in his new administration. The fight over the future of Elizabeth Street Garden is heading to court, and Coney Island polar bear plunge registration opens.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tish accepts Mayor-elect Mumdani's job offer. Meanwhile, who's down for a polar bear plunge? Not me. From WNYC, this is NYC Now. I'm Jinnay Pierre. NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tish has agreed to remain in her job under incoming mayors around Mumdani. Both parties announced the agreement Wednesday morning. WMYC's Bridget Bergen spoke to the mayor-elect over the phone after the news.

He said that his disagreements with the police commissioner are not only reconcilable, but a sign of a healthy partnership to come. Too often in our politics, hiring decisions are characterized by an attempt to surround oneself with people who are quickest to say yes to any and all ideas. And what I'm instead looking to do is to build a team that is characterized by excellence and by outcomes. Mumdani's desire for Tish to stay on was cheered on by law enforcement officials and moderate Democrats, but drew skepticism from some of the mayor-elect's progressive base. There are some NYPD reform advocates who are concerned about the commissioner's handling of police disciplinary cases. What's your response to them?

I understand New Yorkers who are concerned around the question of accountability, and it is of critical importance to me as we deliver both safety and justice. Commissioner Tish says she and the mayor elect have met and share many of the same public safety goals for New York City. She says those include lowering crime, making communities safer, rooting out corruption, and giving officers the support and resources they need. WNYC's Ben FewerHeard has been reporting on the news and the city's reaction. He joins me now. All right, Ben, take us back. What led up to this decision? So Mabdani first said that he would ask Tish to stay on during the last mayoral debate in October. And at the debate, actually all three candidates said they would request her to stay in her current role. And it actually sort of became this point of attack for Andrew Cuomo and Curtis Sliwa.

They both said that they doubted Tish would actually stay on if Mabdani was elected. And then, you know, since the debate, it's sort of been radio silence from the commissioner on if she'd agree to stay. And it's certainly a topic of intrigue amongst the NYPD and politicians in the city. Yeah, for sure. So tell us, what has the commissioner's legacy been so far? So Tish has actually served almost exactly a year as police commissioner under Eric Adams. And experts that we've spoken to in the last couple of months have been clear that, like, her greatest accomplishment has been cleaning up the department after allegations of corruption really rocked the department under Adams.

She took over after the former commissioner, Edward Caban, resigned during a federal investigation into him. And then an interim commissioner also stepped down after he was subject to a federal investigation. And beyond not having that reputation for corruption, Tish and Adams have constantly touted how the city continues to see record low numbers of shootings and homicides under her watch. And she's also overseen an expansion of quality of life teams in the department that focus on policing minor crimes in the city. Let's talk about those quality of life teams a bit more, because I'm wondering, does that focus put her at odds with Mamdani at all? It's a good question and certainly one that progressive critics of Tish have raised. Groups like the New York Legal Aid Society have told us that they're supportive of some of Tish's policies, including the number of officers. She has disciplined as commissioner.

But they took issue with the quality of life crackdown and made the point that because of it, many New Yorkers are now interacting with the criminal justice system at a time when. people are really struggling to get by because it's so expensive to live here. And actually, in her email to officers this morning, Tish, acknowledge that she and Mbdani don't necessarily see eye to eye on everything. But she said they have common ground on the need to provide public safety in the city and the need for stability in the police department. So what's been the reaction of folks since this announcement? It's pretty interesting.

The pick has been praised by a wide cross-section of people, like police unions, including the largest NYPD union, the police bin. Innevalent Association said they were pleased with the pick. Former Police Commissioner Bill Bratton, who is often a target of progressives, gave a full-throated approval of the decision. But even the executive director of the New York Civil Liberties Union said, she appreciates some of the things that Tish has done as commissioner, including making clear to the federal government that there's no need for National Guard

to keep crime down in New York. But there's also been some pushback from progressive groups. The Justice Committee, for example, put out a pretty skating. statement that called her appointment, a rebuff to New Yorkers who supported Maptani's campaign. That's WNYC's been fewer heard. Ben, thanks a lot. Thanks. Stick around. There's more to come. The fight over the future of Elizabeth Street Garden is heading to court.

Believers behind a controversial affordable housing project planned for the garden site are suing Mayor Eric Adams. They argue his move to designate the lot as official city parkland is illegal and should require approval from the city council. Adams had previously supported a plan to build housing on the lot, but he changed course back in June, saying he cut a deal to save the garden and eventually build new affordable housing elsewhere in the area. Last week, he went even further by declaring it Parkland. The move would require state lawmakers to approve the residential development. Mayor Alec Zaramam Dani says it makes the housing plan, quote, nearly impossible. Before we go, does running into the water off Coney Island sound like a way you'd like to ring in the new year?

Well, registration for the annual polar bear plunge is open now. There's no fee, but organizers. encourage participants to make donations that go to area organizations. You can register at Kony Island PolarBear.com and the plunge itself is at 11 on New Year's morning. Good luck with that. Thanks for listening to NYC now from WMYC. I'm Jenae Pierre. See you tomorrow.