By Eric Mack | Sunday, 02 November 2025 09:16 AM EST
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has thrown his support behind outgoing Democrat Mayor Eric Adams’ proposal to hire 5,000 additional NYPD officers, framing it as a critical step to address police attrition and restore operational stability within the department.
Cuomo cited the department’s “highest rates of attrition” due to understaffing, stating that the surge in personnel would allow officers to work “normal shifts.” Adams’ plan aims to expand the NYPD’s ranks from just under 34,000 to about 40,000 by 2029—the largest force in nearly two decades. The initiative, projected to cost $17.8 million next fiscal year and escalate to $315.8 million by 2029, requires City Council approval.
On the campaign trail, Cuomo criticized rival Zohran Mamdani, a democratic socialist who backed defund-the-police efforts. Cuomo accused Mamdani of opposing Adams’ plan and being “against the police,” asserting that socialists prioritize ideology over public safety. “Either Mamdani knows more about public safety than Mayor Adams— who served 22 years as a police officer—or he’s just pushing ideology,” Cuomo said.
Mamdani has attempted to soften his anti-policing stance, apologizing for past rhetoric and proposing a $1.1 billion Department of Community Safety to handle nonviolent mental health calls. He also pledged to retain Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch if elected.
Republican mayoral nominee Curtis Sliwa accused Cuomo of abandoning New York, claiming the former governor would flee to Florida if defeated. “I fight for what I know is right,” Sliwa said, vowing to oppose Mamdani’s policies. “If I lose to Zohran Mamdani, I become his worst nightmare.”
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
