The first thing to tell members of the Democratic Socialists of America about the New York Police Department is that its dedicated officers are there to protect them, too.
The NYC DSA probably could use that reminder after its members complained on social media about Mayor Mamdani’s plan to add 580 new officers to a police force that is still rebuilding after several years of surging retirements and resignations.
Adding more cops “runs counter to the values of the socialist and working-class movement that elected” Mamdani, the DSA said. True about the socialists, no doubt, but not so much about the working class, people who actually prefer to live in safe neighborhoods.
Mamdani ran on a police-skeptical platform and has created something called Office of Community Safety, with the goal of having social workers talk emotionally disturbed persons out of committing violent acts, or something like that. But that’s not enough for DSA, whose members apparently believed everything he said he would on the campaign.
But Mamdani is shrewd, and is now listening to the likes of NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, moderating some of his leftist impulses. He told WNYC one reason for more cops is to enhance officer training. Everyone should be glad of that, and we hope to see more such thinking at City Hall.