Could a future New York City mayor dismantle a critical police unit just when the city needs it most?
Zohran Mamdani, a far-left Queens assemblyman and Socialist frontrunner for mayor after securing the Democratic Party nomination, has sparked outrage with his pledge to disband the NYPD’s Strategic Response Group (SRG), even as he publicly mourns the victims of a deadly Park Avenue shooting for which SRG officers were key responders, as the Daily Wire reports.
Mamdani first announced his candidacy for mayor and, just two months later in December 2024, took to social media with a bold promise to eliminate the SRG, a specialized NYPD division tasked with handling major emergencies, civil unrest, and high-stakes events like shootings and bank robberies.
Mamdani takes controversial stance
“As Mayor, I will disband the SRG,” Mamdani declared, citing millions in lawsuit settlements and alleged brutality against First Amendment exercisers.
Yet, this isn’t the first time Mamdani has taken aim at law enforcement — his 2020 social media posts during the George Floyd protests called for defunding the police, a stance that continues to haunt his public image.
Critics aren’t buying the rhetoric, especially given the timing, with one unnamed police source quipping, “He only wants to ban SRG because they respond to his people’s protests.”
Tragic shooting highlights SRG’s role
Fast forward to this Monday, when a horrific mass shooting unfolded in a Park Avenue building, leaving four dead, including an off-duty NYPD officer, and another officer in critical condition.
The gunman, identified as Shane Tamura, unleashed chaos, but SRG members were among the first on the scene, storming the building to neutralize the threat.
In the aftermath, Mamdani posted a tribute to the fallen officer, 36-year-old Didarul Islam, a father of two, saying, “I pray for him, his family, and honor the legacy of service and sacrifice he leaves behind.”
Public expression of gratitude clashes with proposed policy
That same tribute included, “Grateful for all of our first responders on the ground,” a sentiment that many find hollow given his anti-SRG agenda.
Democratic Party political operative Ken Frydman didn’t mince words, stating, “Mamdani is hypocritical and irony-deficient,” pointing out the contradiction of mourning a tragedy while targeting the very unit that responded.
One has to wonder if Mamdani realizes that words — and policy promises — carry weight, especially when lives are on the line.
Political fallout, broader implications awaited
The backlash has been swift, with U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik calling Mamdani “a disgrace and truly unfit” for the mayor’s office, while New York State Conservative Party Chairman Gerard Kassar warned, “If Mr. Mamdani were elected, he would have direct control over the NYPD — an agency he publicly despises.”
Meanwhile, Mamdani’s ally, Bed-Stuy Council Member Chi Ossé, has pushed a bill since January to bar SRG from attending protests or First Amendment events, a measure backed by 24 Democratic council sponsors.
New Yorkers deserve clarity, not contradictions, when deciding who will lead a city that depends on its police to navigate crises like the Park Avenue tragedy; after all, public safety isn’t a game of political posturing.
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Author: Mae Slater
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