In the weeks leading up to Zohran Mamdani’s historic win as New York City’s mayor, nearly 250 police officers decided to step down, despite the democratic socialist’s more moderated stance on police issues.

At 34, Mamdani made history on Tuesday by becoming the city’s youngest mayor. His campaign, which focused on making living in the city more affordable, effectively harnessed social media to galvanize a younger voter base.

In October, 245 officers resigned, a noticeable 35 percent rise from the 181 departures recorded in the same period last year, based on data provided by the Police Pension Fund.

Responding to these figures, the NYPD stated to the Daily Mail, “Our focus is on enhancing recruitment efforts to welcome the next wave of officers. There’s a shift in momentum, and we are committed to drawing top-tier candidates to safeguard the city.”

Moreover, the department highlighted the induction of 1,093 new officers last month, marking the most substantial Police Academy class since January 2016.

So far this year, the NYPD has hired 2,911 recruits and is on track for the largest annual hiring in its history, with nearly 10,000 new officers added over the past four years. 

Despite Mamdani’s recent efforts to soften his stance on policing, including an apology for past remarks calling the NYPD ‘racist and anti-queer,’ police unions said morale within the department has dropped sharply. 

Officers are reportedly concerned about the mayor-elect’s proposed reforms and past rhetoric.

Zohran Mamdani was in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Saturday. He is known for his anti-police rhetoric that he has attempted to dial back in recent months

Throughout his campaign, Mamdani rejected claims that he was anti-police and emphasized that he had no plans to defund the NYPD

‘Morale is down because everyone is concerned about the policies Mamdani wants to put in place,’ Scott Munro, president of the Detectives Endowment Association, told the NY Post. 

‘You have a person who is supposed to be running New York City that does not believe in law enforcement.’

The Police Benevolent Association (PBA), which is preparing to negotiate a new contract with Mamdani, warned that the trend could worsen.

‘Every single month, we’re losing enough cops to staff an entire precinct,’ PBA President Patrick Hendry told the New York Times. He cited unsustainable workloads, an expired contract, and a lack of support as key factors driving officers away.

A union source told the NY Post that Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s future with the department could have ripple effects on morale and retention.

‘If she leaves it may result in an uptick,’ the source said. ‘If she stays, maybe not.’ 

Despite the spike in resignations, new hires have helped the NYPD maintain its overall staffing levels. 

The department currently has a uniformed headcount of 33,745, slightly down from 33,812 in 2024. The NYPD’s peak staffing was 40,285 in 2000, according to the Independent Budget Office.

A union source has said that Commissioner Jessica Tisch’s future with the department could affect officer retention

Mamdani greets people while attending the SOMOS Puerto Rico conference in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Saturday

Among the most notable recent departures is Deputy Chief John D’Adamo, head of the Strategic Response Group, a unit tasked with policing protests. 

Mamdani has previously criticized the group and suggested it could be disbanded. 

D’Adamo resigned the day after Mamdani’s election, though a friend said his decision was unrelated to the political shift and that he was simply ready to retire.

Mamdani’s past social media posts from 2020 show him repeatedly advocating to defund the police during the height of the Black Lives Matter protests. 

He referred to the NYPD as a ‘rogue agency’ and a ‘major threat to public safety,’ and posted that ‘nature was healing’ after hearing an officer cried over Joe Biden’s election win.

During the campaign, Mamdani denied being anti-police and stated he would not defund the NYPD. 

He expressed interest in retaining Commissioner Sewell and said he would invest in social and mental health services to support public safety. 

He also proposed transferring final disciplinary authority from the police commissioner to the Civilian Complaint Review Board, a move that has sparked further debate.