New York City’s incoming mayor has appointed a professor who calls police officers “violence workers” to oversee community safety policy.
Story Overview
- Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani named an anti-police professor to his community safety committee
- The appointee has publicly described police officers as “violence workers”
- This appointment signals a radical shift in NYC’s approach to law enforcement
- The move contradicts traditional public safety priorities that most New Yorkers expect
A Troubling Signal for Public Safety
Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s decision to place a professor with openly hostile views toward law enforcement in charge of community safety represents a dangerous departure from common-sense governance. The appointment sends a clear message about the incoming administration’s priorities, and it’s not one that should comfort law-abiding New Yorkers who depend on effective policing to protect their neighborhoods and families.
Academic Activism Meets City Hall
The professor’s characterization of police as “violence workers” reveals an ideological framework that views law enforcement as inherently harmful rather than protective. This perspective, common in certain academic circles, fundamentally misunderstands the role police play in maintaining order and protecting innocent citizens. When such radical viewpoints drive policy decisions, the results typically favor criminals over victims and chaos over order.
The Real-World Consequences
New York City residents have already witnessed what happens when anti-police sentiment shapes municipal policy. The city’s previous experiments with reducing police presence and limiting law enforcement authority led to increased crime rates and deteriorating quality of life in many neighborhoods. Appointing someone who views police through such a distorted lens suggests Mamdani plans to double down on these failed approaches rather than learn from their obvious shortcomings.
🚨 “Kill the Cop in Our Head”: Mamdani Transition Pick Rejects Reform, Calls Policing “Violence Work,” and Advocates for "Pod Mapping"
Zohran Mamdani just appointed Professor Alex Vitale to his community safety transition team.
Vitale says it plainly, “Policing is about… pic.twitter.com/jvwgh3CUt6
— Stu Smith (@thestustustudio) November 25, 2025
Community safety requires leaders who understand that effective policing protects the most vulnerable members of society. When professors who have never walked a beat or responded to emergency calls shape police policy, the disconnect between academic theory and street-level reality becomes dangerously apparent. This appointment prioritizes ideological purity over practical effectiveness in keeping New Yorkers safe.
A Pattern of Poor Judgment
This appointment reflects broader concerns about Mamdani’s judgment and priorities as he prepares to take office. Choosing advisors based on their adherence to radical academic theories rather than their understanding of effective law enforcement suggests an administration more interested in political signaling than practical governance. New Yorkers deserve leaders who prioritize their safety over satisfying activist constituencies with extreme views on policing.
The timing of this appointment is particularly tone-deaf given ongoing concerns about public safety in many NYC neighborhoods. Rather than reassuring residents that their new mayor takes these concerns seriously, Mamdani has chosen to elevate someone whose public statements suggest hostility toward the very institution responsible for maintaining order and protecting innocent lives.
