NEW YORK (BLOOMBERG) -- Mayor Zohran Mamdani plans to disband an NYPD unit responsible for handling protests and crowd control, fulfilling a campaign promise that put him at odds with the city’s police commissioner.
Mamdani is expected to announce the dissolution of the Strategic Response Group, made up of roughly 600 officers, and to separate the department’s protest response operations from its counterterrorism functions, according to a spokesman. The announcement could come as soon as next week, a person familiar with the matter said. The decision was first reported by Politico.
The Strategic Response Group has been criticized by civil rights advocates and progressive activists over allegations of excessive force and misconduct in its handling of protests. During his 2025 campaign for mayor, Mamdani pledged to disband the unit, arguing that protest policing should be separated from counterterrorism operations.
NYPD Strategic Response Group (SRG) officers walk by as federal agents and law enforcement stand outside of 26 Federal Plaza.Adam Gray/Getty Images
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch has backed keeping the unit and defended the department’s handling of large demonstrations, while signaling she is open to some reforms.
Mamdani, a democratic socialist, took office this year promising to overhaul the city’s approach to public safety. He opted to keep Tisch, who has overseen a decline in the city’s major crime rate, even as some supporters on the left pushed for her removal. Mamdani has continued to back Tisch, who is Jewish and pro-Israel, despite continued calls from political allies for her replacement.
Their public relationship has so far appeared largely frictionless, but the future of the SRG is among several policing issues where their positions have diverged.
Mamdani has argued that the city should take a different approach to demonstrations, emphasizing de-escalation and the protection of First Amendment rights. He has also cited disproportionately high rates of misconduct complaints involving SRG officers as a reason to eliminate the unit.
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