New York City Mayoral Candidates Spar on Public Safety as Election Nears

As the NYC mayoral race intensifies, candidates Zohran Mamdani, Eric Adams, Andrew Cuomo, and Curtis Sliwa are presenting distinct visions for public safety, with differing approaches to policing, community programs, and the city's challenges.

21 sept 2025 - 20:26 • 5 min read

As the race for New York City mayor heats up, public safety remains a paramount concern for voters, with candidates Zohran Mamdani, incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, and Republican Curtis Sliwa offering contrasting strategies to address crime and security across the boroughs.

Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani is proposing a significant shift in approach, advocating for the creation of a Department of Community Safety with a $1 billion budget. This department would aim to increase funding for the crisis management system, a community-based initiative focused on preventing gun violence among young people. Mamdani also plans to expand assistance for the mentally ill and homeless, and establish subway safety teams. He argues that this restructuring would free up police officers to focus more on patrols and crime investigations. "What we have ended up with is police officers responding to 200,000 mental health calls a year, and that cannot be separated from the fact that response times have increased by 20% of the last few years," Mamdani stated, highlighting what he sees as an overreliance on police for issues outside their purview.

Mayor Eric Adams, a former NYPD captain, has consistently championed public safety as the foundation for the city's prosperity. His administration has emphasized visible police presence, recently deploying an additional 1,000 officers to the Bronx to combat a rise in shootings and murders. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch has also spearheaded quality-of-life teams to address resident complaints. Adams highlighted recent statistics, reporting a 17% decrease in murders and a 15% drop in shooting victims citywide so far this year compared to the same period last year. Overall major crime is down approximately 4% under his leadership.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo is positioning himself as a staunch "law-and-order" candidate, declaring safety his top priority if elected. He has pledged to increase the NYPD's ranks by 5,000 officers, asserting that greater police presence is a crucial part of the solution. Cuomo also vowed to increase patrols by both NYPD and MTA officers within the subway system.

Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels citizen patrol group, is also making crime fighting a central plank of his platform. Sliwa advocates for a firm stance against criminals, stating, "There is no room for gun violence in this borough or anywhere in this city." He plans to "not hesitate in locking up all criminals," while also proposing programs to steer individuals away from criminal activity. Sliwa describes himself as the "street guy" and the "populist candidate of the Republican party, the blue collar, working-class candidate, the candidate of the outer boroughs."

Mamdani, identified as a democratic socialist, has faced criticism and accusations of wanting to defund the police, labels he refutes. He has acknowledged past rhetoric, including social media posts from 2020 that were critical of the NYPD, but has since distanced himself from calls to reduce the department's funding. Mamdani now states he would maintain current NYPD staffing levels and has expressed a willingness to apologize for past comments made "at the height of frustration." His opponents, including Adams and Cuomo, have questioned the sincerity of his shifts on law enforcement issues.

In recent weeks, Mamdani has garnered significant endorsements from within the Democratic party. U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, recently backed Mamdani, citing his "bold ideas for housing" as a key factor. This follows endorsements from Gov. Kathy Hochul, State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, signaling a growing coalition of support despite initial hesitations from some party leaders like State Democratic Party chair Jay Jacobs.

Meanwhile, Curtis Sliwa was recently on Staten Island to celebrate the opening of his campaign headquarters there. The mayoral race also saw a concerning incident this past week, with a Texas man charged with making a terroristic threat as a hate crime against Mamdani. The political violence was condemned by Sliwa, who urged that such acts not interfere with the electoral process.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo has accused the Mamdani campaign of orchestrating protests against him, a claim Mamdani's campaign has denied. The candidates are navigating a complex landscape, with differing visions for how to ensure the safety and well-being of New Yorkers.

Mamdani, who would be the city's first Muslim and Indian American mayor if elected, has also faced scrutiny over his policy positions, including his advocacy for reducing economic disparity through measures like raising taxes on the wealthy and his proposal for city-run grocery stores, which critics have likened to communist systems. He has also been a vocal critic of Israeli government policy in Gaza, while unequivocally condemning the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

As Election Day approaches, the candidates are vying to convince voters that their respective platforms offer the most effective path to a safer New York City, a topic that continues to dominate public discourse.