NYC Dem warns Mamdani's NYPD hiring freeze could make city less safe

Councilman Oswald Feliz says cutting police hiring will exacerbate problems related to overtime, slow response times, and crime

Published on Feb. 22, 2026

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A top City Council politician, Oswald Feliz (D-Bronx), warned that Mayor Zohran Mamdani's decision not to add 5,000 cops to the NYPD could make New Yorkers less safe. Feliz, who chairs the council's Committee on Public Safety, said Mamdani's hiring freeze comes as the department is 'already facing unprecedented officer shortages' and that 'cutting police hiring will exacerbate problems related to excessive overtime, slow response times and crime.'

Why it matters

This issue has bipartisan support, with both Democratic and Republican council members expressing concerns about Mamdani's plan to keep the NYPD's headcount at 35,000 rather than increasing it as proposed by the previous mayor. There are worries that reducing the police force could lead to a rise in crime and slower emergency response times for New Yorkers.

The details

Mamdani's preliminary budget reversed a plan by his predecessor, Eric Adams, to add thousands of officers to boost the NYPD's staffing levels to highs not seen in decades. Adams' proposal would have increased the headcount to 40,000 strong, but Mamdani's administration plans to keep the headcount at 35,000, sticking to his campaign promise to freeze hiring above that level. Mamdani has vowed instead to create an entirely new Department of Community Safety to handle mental health calls, but has offered little detail on how that agency would function.

  • The NYPD had nearly 38,000 in its ranks in 2019, but that number quickly fell off over the next few years as droves of cops put in their retirement papers and the city struggled to recruit during a wave of anti-cop sentiment.

The players

Zohran Mamdani

The current mayor of New York City who has proposed a hiring freeze for the NYPD.

Oswald Feliz

A Democratic City Council member who chairs the Council's Committee on Public Safety and has warned that Mamdani's NYPD hiring freeze could make the city less safe.

Eric Adams

The previous mayor of New York City who had proposed increasing the NYPD's headcount to 40,000 officers.

Julie Menin

The Democratic City Council Speaker who said the Council is closely monitoring crime numbers and wants to ensure the NYPD has proper resources.

Frank Morano

A Republican City Council member who said halting the addition of more cops was the 'wrong decision at the wrong time.'

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What they’re saying

“This is not good. Cutting police hiring will exacerbate problems related to excessive overtime, slow response times and crime.”

— Oswald Feliz, City Council member, Chair of Committee on Public Safety (New York Post)

“We do want to make sure that the NYPD has the proper resources. We've got the same number of officers basically that we had on 9/11, yet the city has grown substantially.”

— Julie Menin, City Council Speaker (Fox 5)

“When you weaken your police force, everything else suffers.”

— Frank Morano, City Council member (New York Post)

What’s next

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The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.