New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani moved to cancel executive orders from former Mayor Eric Adams, including a major push to expand the New York Police Department by 5,000 officers. Adams had signed off on the hiring initiative before his indictment on Sept. 26, 2024.

The Adams blueprint called for adding 300 officers in July 2026. That number would climb to 2,500 by July 2027 and hit 5,000 additional hires annually starting July 2028. Those gains would have boosted street deployments to roughly 40,000 officers, up from the current force of about 35,000, according to budget documents.

Mamdani’s preliminary fiscal year 2027 budget instead holds NYPD staffing near present levels. It stresses "significantly reducing current vacancies," a step that officials said could tie funding cuts to unfilled posts. The plan includes a $22 million trim from the department’s $6.4 billion budget for next year, Gothamist reported.

On Tuesday, Mamdani addressed reporters after revealing the budget. He described a "historic budget gap" inherited from the prior administration. His team, he said, had slashed the shortfall from $12 billion to $5.4 billion. Still, a "significant chasm" remains, he added.

"I know that for those who have watched budget after budget, it is tempting to assume that we are engaging in the same dance as our predecessors," Mamdani told the news conference. "Let me assure you, nothing about this is typical. That’s why our solutions won’t be either."

Mamdani faces pressure to close the gap without deep service cuts. He pitched several tax hikes as remedies. Topping the list: steeper levies on high earners and big corporations. As a fallback, he suggested a 9.5% jump in property taxes.

The mayor framed the fiscal bind as a citywide crisis New York "can and will overcome." Critics have already pounced on the police hiring reversal. Adams’ plan aimed to bolster patrols amid rising concerns over crime rates in the nation’s largest city.

City Council members will now review Mamdani’s blueprint. Final approval could come after months of negotiations. Police unions expressed alarm over the proposed cap on officer numbers. They argue it hampers response times and public safety.

Mamdani’s office defended the shift. Officials pointed to overtime costs and recruitment challenges that have left thousands of positions empty for years. The budget also eyes efficiencies in other areas, like administrative roles and equipment spending.

Adams’ indictment on federal corruption charges paved the way for Mamdani’s rapid rise. The Democratic mayor took office vowing fiscal discipline. His early moves signal a break from Adams-era expansions, particularly in public safety spending.

Analysts watch closely. New York’s budget battles often stretch into the new year. Mamdani’s tax ideas face resistance from business groups and upstate lawmakers. Property owners, meanwhile, brace for hikes that could ripple through rents and home values.