Mayor Candidate’s Controversial Proposal
This week, New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani put forward a highly contentious idea: diverting “mental health” calls to social workers instead of police. It’s a significant shift from his previous stance; he has criticized the New York Police Department (NYPD) as “Evil,” “Corrupt,” and “Racist.” Now, he claims to have evolved, suggesting a plan where armed officers would be replaced by unarmed civilians in some of the more risky situations faced by law enforcement.
Mamdani seems to be attempting to reframe his position, yet the implications are grave. Removing officers from critical situations puts unarmed civilians in potentially life-threatening circumstances. When asked if he would apologize to law enforcement executives he had previously labeled as “threats,” he opted for a private conversation instead—perhaps an indication of his real views. These aren’t just missteps; they reveal a troubling perspective.
Reflecting on the past, Mamdani’s views seem to lack real progression since 2020. In a podcast interview, he mentioned that various situations—including petty offenses like jaywalking—could be handled better by trained individuals rather than those armed with guns.
However, the harsh reality is that domestic violence calls frequently escalate unexpectedly, often becoming ambushes waiting to happen. In a notorious incident from 2009, a call about a dog urinating in a house led to a devastating shootout in Pittsburgh, claiming the lives of three officers during what should have been a minor dispute.
Fast forward to 2025, and police responding to a warrant for a domestic incident were shot at with an AR-15, resulting in multiple casualties, highlighting the deadly stakes involved in domestic violence calls.
These instances aren’t isolated; they speak to a broader trend that seems to be overlooked by Mamdani and others advocating for similar policies. In 2022, an NYPD officer lost his life during a domestic violence call, while another came remarkably close in 2023 when he was shot at during a response. Just last year, two officers were injured while handling yet another such situation.
It’s crucial to understand that these are not “rare” occurrences. Officers know all too well that when a call identifies as “domestic,” it could be their last. An FBI database reveals that between 2011 and 2020, 43 officers lost their lives responding to domestic violence incidents.
Mamdani’s proposal does little to safeguard victims. If he truly respected those who rush toward danger, especially when others flee, he wouldn’t disregard police as “evil” or a “threat.” His language indicates a deep-seated bias that paints law enforcement negatively while posing as a reformer.
The reality is, he and his supporters undermine police officers by suggesting that trained social workers, equipped with clipboards and goodwill, could replace law enforcement in dangerous situations. Such suggestions not only jeopardize social workers but also place additional burdens on police officers, forcing them to juggle the threats posed by violent suspects and the safety of civilians who may believe they understand the dangers better than the professionals.
When a victim is trapped and the chaos erupts, they don’t need ideological discussions or theoretical alternatives. They need cops who can provide backup. That’s the undeniable truth, yet Mamdani seems unwilling to confront it.
Kelly Ray Robertson is a former criminal justice investigator with over 14 years of experience in the Pittsburgh court and prison systems. She has witnessed firsthand the failures of cashless bail and the complexities of law enforcement dealing with violent offenders.
