The race for the next mayor of New York City is heating up. Leading in the polls, former governor Andrew Cuomo recently stated that if elected, he would increase the number of police officers by 5,000 and support the current NYPD’s policy of “precision policing.” However, he continues to endorse the cashless bail reform he implemented as governor, known as the “turnstile” reform. On the other hand, Adams believes that the issue lies not in the number of police officers but in the current bail reform system, stating that the root of New York City’s public safety issues is this bail system where “arrests are made but the paperwork is not completed, and the individuals are already back on the streets.”
Cuomo, during a visit to a Harlem church last Sunday, expressed that with the current 34,000 police officers in the NYPD, there are fewer officers compared to 30 years ago. Due to the diminished staffing, officers have to work overtime to keep up with combating urban crime. He believes that this has led to more officers desiring early retirement, resulting in over $1 billion in overtime costs.
“The officers are exhausted, resigning in large numbers, causing the highest attrition rate in history. We are even struggling to attract new recruits to join the police force,” Cuomo said. If elected, he plans to follow in the footsteps of former Mayor David Dinkins, who increased the number of police officers by 40%. Cuomo stated, “Because the overtime costs are too high, we should hire 5,000 new police officers at only half the cost of overtime; this would prevent officers from being overworked, reduce attrition rates, and make recruiting new officers easier.”
Furthermore, Cuomo suggested raising the starting salary for police officers to $58,000, with the potential to increase to $120,000 after five years of service.
However, Cuomo continues to support the bail reform legislation passed during his tenure as governor, arguing that “bail reform corrected a terrible mistake where individuals who had not been convicted were being detained at Rikers Island solely because they couldn’t afford bail.” Cuomo emphasized that the issue should not be about the arrested individuals’ danger to public safety but rather about their financial capabilities, stating, “One should not be able to pay bail and be released just because they are wealthy, while those who can’t afford bail are left in jail.”
Incumbent Mayor Adams, on the other hand, has consistently opposed the bail reform legislation. He stated at a press conference on Monday, “Stop saying our city is in ‘chaos and crisis,’ it is not the case.”
“What frustrates me is when I speak with a police officer who has just arrested a suspect, completed the paperwork, and then suddenly you realize that the person they arrested is back on the street, it is truly disheartening,” Adams said.
The latest polls show Cuomo maintaining his lead in the mayoral race, receiving support from various unions, including the New York City Deputy Sheriffs’ Benevolent Association, Electrical Workers Union, Teamsters Local 237 representing security guards, and DC9 Carpenters Union.
Meanwhile, other mayoral candidates such as City Comptroller Brad Lander and State Senator Jessica Ramos are launching fierce attacks against Cuomo on several fronts—allegations of sexual harassment, nursing home policies during the pandemic, writings on pandemic responses, and using public funds for lawsuits.