NYPD Continues Crime Reduction Under Tisch, Except When Mamdani Intervenes

Mayor's order to not remove homeless from subway leads to 20% spike in transit crime

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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Despite the NYPD under Commissioner Jessica Tisch continuing to reduce crime to record lows across New York City in February, a 20% spike in subway crime occurred after Mayor Zohran Mamdani ordered police and city workers not to force the homeless or others out of the transit system during a winter storm. While the NYPD saw historic declines in shootings, murders, and other major crimes citywide, the mayor's intervention in the subways led to a 61% drop in ejections from January and a jump in offenses to over 190.

Why it matters

The contrast between the NYPD's overall success in driving down crime under Tisch's 'precision policing' approach and the subway crime spike when Mamdani intervened highlights the tension between the police commissioner's data-driven strategies and the mayor's more hands-off policies. This raises questions about whether Mamdani will continue to undermine the NYPD's progress if he further restricts their ability to address public safety issues.

The details

In February, the NYPD saw a 33.3% drop in murders, a 45.5% decline in shooting incidents, and a 36.4% reduction in shooting victims compared to the same period in 2025. Robberies fell by 33% and retail theft declined 24.7% year-over-year. However, after Mamdani ordered police not to remove homeless individuals from the subway system during a winter storm, transit crime spiked nearly 20%, with a 61% drop in ejections from January's level and over 190 offenses.

  • In February 2026, the NYPD continued to reduce crime to record lows citywide.
  • In February 2026, Mayor Mamdani ordered police and city workers not to force the homeless or others out of the subway system during a winter storm.
  • After Mamdani's order, subway crime spiked nearly 20% in February 2026 compared to January.

The players

Jessica Tisch

The Police Commissioner of the New York City Police Department, who has implemented effective 'precision policing' strategies that drove historic crime reductions in 2025.

Zohran Mamdani

The Mayor of New York City, who intervened to prevent the NYPD from removing homeless individuals from the subway system during a winter storm, leading to a spike in transit crime.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing tension between the NYPD's data-driven crime reduction strategies under Commissioner Tisch and Mayor Mamdani's more hands-off approach, which risks undermining the department's progress if he continues to restrict their ability to address public safety issues, especially in the subway system.