The US Attorney General, Pamela Bondi, met behind closed doors with the New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch at the Manhattan Police Headquarters on Monday. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes, during which they discussed public safety and the potential intervention of the federal government in maintaining law and order in New York City. Tisch clearly stated during the meeting that the current security situation in the city is under the control of the police department and that there is no need for the National Guard to be deployed.
This meeting comes at a time when President Trump has been considering sending more federal forces to sensitive cities, including Chicago and Baltimore. The Trump administration has recently sent the National Guard to the deteriorating security situation in Washington, D.C., and has threatened to take tougher actions against cities that do not cooperate.
Sources speaking to the New York Post and the New York Daily News revealed that Tisch emphasized during the meeting that the number of shootings and gunshot injuries in New York City has reached a historic low this year, and major crime rates have been on a downward trend for three consecutive years. Tisch pointed out that the police department is intensifying its efforts to address minor crimes that affect quality of life while seeking more law enforcement powers, such as the ability for city police to directly handle potentially dangerous drones when necessary, without fully relying on federal agencies.
On Monday, Trump signed an executive order requiring the Justice Department to identify jurisdictions where the “cash bail system is significantly scaled back” within 30 days and threatening to cut federal funding if local governments do not comply. The cash bail reform implemented in New York State since 2020, which eliminated cash bail for most minor and non-violent felonies, has sparked widespread controversy.
Tisch has previously criticized the cash bail system for being too lenient. Last week, she cited an example of a repeat offender who had been arrested the previous night for fare evasion but was only issued a court summons, and the next day was involved in an incident where police officers were mistakenly shot in Queens. New York City Mayor Adams has also publicly criticized the current rules, believing they are detrimental to public safety.
Meanwhile, some political figures in New York City are calling for resistance against pressure from the Trump administration. Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic mayoral candidate, stated that in the face of threats from the federal government, the city government should firmly resist rather than compromise.