NEW YORK (AP) — Mayor Zohran Mamdani of New York City announced Thursday the establishment of a new community safety office, marking an initial move toward delivering on a significant campaign commitment to minimize police involvement in mental health crisis situations.
The mayor had originally proposed creating a $1 billion annual program that would send civilian responders rather than law enforcement to handle non-criminal emergency situations. However, his current plan is much more limited in scope, beginning operations with just two employees and no immediate changes to how the city handles 911 emergency calls.
The office will expand over time and eventually “ushering in a new era for our city’s crisis response,” Mamdani declared while signing the executive order at City Hall, surrounded by criminal justice reform advocates.
“Officers have to handle 200,000 mental health calls a year,” stated the Democratic mayor. “That is not a system that is working. Today marks the end of it.”
Initially, Mamdani explained his administration plans to increase funding and resources for B-HEARD, a current program that sends mental health professionals to respond to 911 calls involving people experiencing emotional crises.
B-HEARD began operating in 2021 as part of a nationwide trend toward similar programs. However, a recent audit revealed the initiative has struggled in New York due to insufficient funding and administrative support.
“We are going to find out,” Mamdani said Thursday, “what it looks like when someone is willing to invest, not just financially, but also politically in this method of response.”
Supporters of the mayor’s initiative argue that law enforcement officers frequently make situations worse when dealing with individuals in emotional crisis, who would receive better assistance from qualified mental health specialists.
Mamdani pointed to the recent fatal police shooting of Queens resident Jabez Chakraborty, whose relatives contacted 911 due to his erratic behavior, as a case that could have benefited from mental health worker intervention. Police officials stated that Chakraborty attacked officers with a knife.
Opponents of Mamdani’s approach claim he minimizes the complexities involved in the city’s extensive emergency dispatch operations while underestimating how many situations actually need police involvement.
During a City Council session Wednesday, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch projected that roughly 2% of service calls would be transferred away from police jurisdiction. “You need to send the police when there’s a call for a violent person,” she explained.
Establishing a community safety department represented a central campaign commitment for Mamdani, who distinguished himself from other candidates by opposing any expansion of the police force.
The Office of Community Safety will also oversee current city initiatives including violence prevention programs using community mediators, hate crime response efforts, and support services for sexual assault survivors, among other programs.
Renita Francois will direct the office, bringing experience from her previous role managing former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s violence reduction efforts in public housing developments.
Mamdani made his announcement with supporters and elected officials present, who praised the initiative while asking New Yorkers to be patient during implementation.
“There will be some mistakes,” cautioned Public Advocate Jumaane Williams. “That happens in the police department, too.”
