New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has proposed canceling plans to hire an additional 5,000 police officers in his first preliminary budget for fiscal year 2027.
The decision follows former Mayor Eric Adams’ proposal to expand the New York Police Department (NYPD) by hiring 300 officers starting in July 2026, with numbers growing to 2,500 by July 2027 and eventually reaching 5,000 additional officers annually by July 2028.
Mamdani’s budget proposal includes canceling all orders signed by Adams following his indictment on September 26, 2024. Among the canceled commitments was the plan to add police personnel. Under Mamdani’s approach, the NYPD would be capped at approximately 35,000 officers—close to current levels—rather than expanding as projected under previous administration plans.
The preliminary budget for fiscal year 2027 also reflects a $22 million reduction in the NYPD’s $6.4 billion funding stream, targeting significant reductions in vacancies within the department. During a Tuesday news conference, Mamdani described New York City’s financial situation as “a historic budget gap” that has been reduced from a deficit of $12 billion to $5.4 billion but still requires immediate action. He emphasized his administration would overcome the challenges ahead.
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry noted that while city budgets have grown, police officer numbers have shrunk, stating: “The bottom line is that the city always finds the money for the priorities it chooses. Public safety must be a priority.”
Additionally, the mayor’s preliminary budget allocates specific funds for NYPD operations including $31 million for security costs related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, $94 million for the Domain Awareness System (a network of surveillance cameras and drones), $54 million for information technology maintenance, and $44 million to replace aging emergency response vehicles.
The budget also shows an increase in the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice funding from $798 million to $810 million next year, driven largely by a new annual allocation of $26 million to prevent hate crimes. Meanwhile, the Civilian Complaint Review Board’s budget remains stable at approximately $29 million. District attorney budgets are set to decline due to reduced state and federal funding, even as New York City increases its own contributions.
